The UCD Career Mentoring Programme provides opportunities for UCD students to connect with UCD Alumni.

This programme, brought to you by the UCD Careers Network and UCD Alumni, aims to support students at a critical time in their career, as they begin making decisions in relation to employment, internships or further study!

The programme is now open for applications! If you are interested in learning more about the Career Mentoring Programme, please follow along below. If you want to sign up, you can do so here: 2024 - 2025 Career Mentoring Programme Application

The application will be open from 2 Sept - 25 Oct 2024

Who is eligible for the programme?

The UCD Career Mentoring Programme is open to undergraduate students in the following areas:

• UCD College of Social Science & Law - Stage 2, Stage 3 and Final Year Students
• UCD College of Arts & Humanities - Stage 2, Stage 3 and Final Year Students
• UCD College of Engineering & Architecture - Stage 2, Stage 3 and Final Year Students
• UCD College of Science - Penultimate and Final Year Students

If you do not fall into one of these categories, we are very sorry, but you will not be able to apply for this programme. Please reach out to your school offices to see if they have any mentoring opportunities available for you. 

What is mentoring? 

Mentoring is a supportive relationship in which a more experienced individual, the mentor, provides guidance, support and advice to a less experienced person, the mentee:

• Mentees = UCD students 
• Mentors = UCD alumni

Through mentoring opportunities, students can receive support in areas such as:

• Developing career ideas
• Networking opportunities
• Industry-specific knowledge

What is the UCD Careers Mentoring Programme? 

The UCD Careers Mentoring programme is a 6-8 month programme that provides UCD students with a chance to connect with and learn from UCD Alumni. In the past, the programme primarily focused on 1-on-1 relationships. However, this year we will be expanding the programme to include a variety of mentoring experiences for both students and alumni! These include:

• 1-on-1 mentoring relationships
• Small group mentoring circles
• Events & workshops

You do not need to participate in all of these activities - you can pick and choose which activities would be most beneficial to you.

By participating in these mentoring opportunities throughout the year, students will get the chance to learn from UCD alumni, which can help you prepare for those next stages in your career journey!

What is the new All-Star Mentoring Award? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This year, students participating in the Career Mentoring Programme will have the opportunity to achieve an award that recognises their efforts to engage in mentoring.

In order to achieve this award you must participate in mentoring activities throughout the year. You do not need to participate in all of the types of activities, and you can pick and choose what works for you. Your goal is to participate in at least 5 activities to earn 5 stars!

Students who participate in at least 5 mentoring activities will need to submit an award application and will be invited to an award ceremony at the end of the year.

There are many ways to earn the 5 stars needed to achieve this award. For example, each 1-on-1 mentoring meeting counts as a star, each small group mentoring circle counts as a star, and each event and workshop counts as a star. Plus we will have additional ways to earn stars throughout the year. More information will be provided to those who sign up.

What do I get by joining the Careers Mentoring Programme?

Students who join the Careers Mentoring Programme will:

1. Join a community of fellow student mentees and alumni mentors.
2. Receive online training and support to ensure both alumni and students are confident to make the most of the mentoring opportunities.
3. Have access to 1-on-1 in-person or online and virtual support to help navigate the Alumni Network and find a mentor.
4. Receive access to a selection of workshops, events and networking opportunities!
5. Have the chance to connect with a mentor 1-on-1 either in-person or online.
6. Have the chance to be recognized for your efforts through the All-Star Mentoring Award!

What is the time commitment if I join the Mentoring Programme?

• This programme will take place from November 2024 - May/June 2025.
• All participants will be invited to attend an important Launch Event in the evening on Wednesday, 6 November 2024.
• All participants will be sent a short online self-directed module to support them through the programme. This should only take about 30 minutes to complete. It is important that all students take the time to complete this module, as it will teach them all about the ways they can get involved in the programme.
• All participants will be asked to create a profile on the Alumni Network Portal. This is how you can find mentors to match with. We will be provide support with setting up and using the portal, as well as 1-on-1 support in-person, online or via email, for those who need help finding a mentor. 
• We will be sharing news and updates via the Alumni portal and by email, so it will be important that students in the programme pay attention to emails related to the mentoring programme. 
• Once the programme has started, we ask that you aim to participate in as many mentoring experiences as you feel comfortable doing. Those who participate in at least 5 experiences will be eligible for the All-Star Mentoring Award.
• If you are planning on having a 1-on-1 mentor, once you have found your mentor match, we ask that you meet at least 3 times between November - June.

Have a query?

• If you are a current student and have any questions related to this programme please contact the Careers Network Mentoring Programme Support team at: Andrea.Maynard@ucd.ie 
• If you are a UCD alumnus who is interested in becoming a mentor please contact: alumnivolunteer@ucd.ie

How do I sign up?

If you are a current UCD undergraduate student and are interested in signing up, you can do so here: 2024 - 2025 Career Mentoring Programme Application