The BEL Career Mentoring Program (CMP) provides UQ Business Economics and Law (BEL) students with the opportunity to explore potential career pathways through a mentoring relationship that facilitates greater self-awareness of skills, knowledge, attributes and experiences. Students can connect with an experienced industry professional, providing an opportunity to focus on their career development.
Applications for the Semester 2, 2024 program are now closed.
The objectives of the program are:
- Establish and foster positive mentoring relationships that are mutually beneficial
- Provide mentees with current, relevant and applicable career information, industry insights and guidance
- Provide an environment where mentees feel comfortable to explore career options and topics of interest
- Encourage mentees to build professional networks and relationships
What is career mentoring?
Career mentoring is a one-to-one relationship in which an experienced individual voluntarily offers their knowledge, insight and encouragement to facilitate the learning and development of a less experienced person or person of differing experience.
A good career mentoring relationship is professional and equal, recognising that both mentor and mentee can grow from the experience. A mentor does not guarantee success and will often play contradictory roles – sometimes offering advice and support, at other times posing challenging questions and sharing critical thoughts.
Being part of the program
The program runs each semester (March to July and August to December) and is facilitated by UQ BEL Careers and Employability.
UQ student mentees are responsible for driving their mentoring relationship. This includes connecting with a mentor, initiating and maintaining regular contact, setting goals for the mentoring relationship and sharing experiences with their mentor.
UQ mentors generously volunteer their time, on average one hour per month during the program, and provide invaluable support to their student mentee. This is done by being a source of information, a sounding board, helping them explore different career pathways available to them and topics of interest.
One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination - John C. Maxwell
