New executive mentoring programme boosts student employability

An inaugural tea reception organised by the Career and Leadership Centre of Student Development Services on 29 January launched the Executive Mentoring Programme (EMP), a new initiative that will help to strengthen the employability of CityU students.

 

The event was officiated by Professor Horace Ip Ho-shing, Vice-President of Student Affairs, and the guests included Professor Paul Lam Kwan-sing, Chief-of-Staff, Dr Wong Chi-tim, Director of SDS, and about 40 senior industry professionals from a broad spectrum of industries, from accountancy, marketing, human resources, surveying, media and public relations.

 

In his welcoming speech, Professor Ip stressed the importance of involving senior executives in mentoring and coaching, and the different roles these experienced professionals can creatively play in nurturing future generations.

 

“We are honoured to have veteran senior executives to be the mentors for EMP,” he said. “They will be able to share their experiences, the latest development of their industries, as well as their expectations on potential employees. We believe direct interaction with mentors is an excellent way of inspiring students.”

 

One of the mentors, Mr Norman Lo Kam-wah, General Secretary of the Methodist Centre, said the EMP could benefit both students and their mentors.

 

“I feel very happy because my mentee genuinely treasures our sharing, and in turn offers me new perspectives on how Generation Y thinks and what they value in their lives,” he said.

 

Allison Wong, a Year 2 Information Systems student and one of the student mentees, shared her reflections after the event. “I was so excited to get to meet the mentors face-to-face. During our conversations, I learnt so much about the work practices of various industries, which I could not have acquired from textbooks alone,” she said.

 

EMP provides a platform for student mentees to build supportive relationships with senior professionals and assists students in realising their career aspirations. This year some 70 students from various Schools and Colleges were selected as mentees from a pool of 150 students.

 

The tea reception was a resounding success, serving as a bridge and ice breaker for mentees to connect with their mentors in a lively atmosphere. The mentees were not only excited to meet their mentors for the first time; the mentors were also delighted to meet the students with whom they would be building long-term relationships.