Let's Build Bridges

Let's Build Bridges
There are many bridges we can build

Sunday 4 May 2014

Mentoring-Internships: A New Kind of Scheme

Based on a very original suggestion by an Alumnus to the 'Let's Build Bridges' project, there is a special kind of scheme that I would like to put for your consideration. 

It is true that long standing arrangements already exist between most universities and colleges, and the larger organisations. But there is something new that could be tried with the small to medium enterprises. 

As per existing mentoring schemes, careers officers could arrange with students to work with specific mentors, selected from the small to medium enterprises, in their chosen field of study. The Alumnus (or selected adult), could mentor and coach the student. Most contact could be as and when the student and Alumnus agree, and by email. 

However, the crucial difference with this scheme, would be that the student must help the Alumnus in return, by researching and solving a long term problem in their business or profession for them. This could be a formal module/assignment, integrated into the student’s final year of study. 

To maximise the effect, the internship could be made a formal module of the student's final year of study, and the students and Alumni could all compare notes and experiences on the university or college's student-Alumni network. This would guarantee good knowledge transfer on all levels, and to all partner organisations. 

In effect, we would be rolling student mentoring and internships into one: so that the mentoring schemes become the formal two-way process that they aspire to be, between students and Alumni. The knowledge transfer to small to medium enterprises, hit hardest by the Recession, could be profound. The students’ knowledge and research could prove integral to helping their long term recovery: and the University would be accredited. 

I think this could be done. It really could make a lot of difference to students’ careers, and to Alumni’s businesses. What are your thoughts on this? 

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