SGSSS Career Pathways Mentoring Programme
The Career Pathways Mentoring Scheme pairs PhD researchers with PhD alumni who have gone on to work in the public, private or non-profit sector. The aim is to connect current researchers with a mentor who has experience in a sector that they would be interested in working in after their PhD, to develop sector knowledge and an understanding of the skills that are required to succeed in that sector.
Mentor & mentee applications will be available from 9th October – 8th November 2023.
Objectives
The mentoring programme is designed to:
- Enable current PhD researchers to understand the drivers and culture of a sector that they are interested in out with academia (public, private or non-profit sector);
- Enable current PhD researchers to understand the skills, knowledge or experiences required to succeed on a career pathway out with academia;
- Define a mentoring skill set and build a culture of ethical professional practice in mentoring for the PhD alumni community;
- It should be noted that each mentee will have the opportunity to set and work towards their own objectives for mentoring.
Key Benefits
Mentees Benefits
- Learn how different organisations work, the research they do, and the people they recruit, along with an understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities of a range of role types
- Dedicated time to focus on career options and planning with access to a knowledgeable sounding board for testing out ideas
- Increased professional networks and points of contact via the mentor, and the other mentees and mentors in the programme cohort
- Increased self-awareness, awareness of the transferability of research skills, and confidence in joining new work environments
Mentors Benefits
- Management and leadership development: self-awareness, active listening, challenging, motivating others, building commitment to action, coaching
- Increased professional networks, via the mentee, and the other mentees and mentors in the programme cohort
- Appreciation of the skills and experiences of PhD researchers and the benefit they can bring to private, public and third sectors organisations
- Satisfaction of helping others who are transitioning from academic research into other sectors and/or research opportunities
Mentors and Mentees
- SGSSS Mentees: This opportunity is open to all social science researchers at SGSSS in their second or final year of their PhD partner universities. Students need to demonstrate in an application how this programme will support their personal and professional development, in particular in relation to careers outside of academia.
- Mentors: All the mentors are PhD graduates. They will have experience working in or with the private, public and third sectors, and therefore have direct experience of both academic and non-academic sectors career pathways and environments. They have volunteered their time to support current SGSSS PhD researchers.
Pairing process
SGSSS will invite applications from PhD students who would like to participate in the programme and will then match mentors to mentees based on their mutual interests and career aspirations, and facilitate introductions.
Structure
The programme will launch with an in person welcome event. The Launch Event will take place in person at the Royal Society of Edinburgh – details to be confirmed closer to the time. The event will introduce mentors and mentees to the programme, and give you space for an introductory discussion.
After the launch event, we propose a minimum of 4 meetings of one hour each over a period of 6 months’ time:
- Introduction and negotiation of the relationship (Meeting 1)
- Mentee’s career aspirations, challenges and opportunities (Meeting 2)
- Careers exploration, industry insights (Meeting 3)
- Career planning, CV reviews, interviews tips based on mentor’s experience (meeting 4)
Monitoring and evaluation
The SGSSS team will be in touch regularly to hear how the experience is going and help to make it even better through the following mechanisms:
– check-in email, after the first month
– social virtual event, after 3 months
– informal focus groups and programme evaluation survey at the end of the programme
Measures of success
- Mentees’ career awareness is enhanced through increased opportunities for exploring career pathways outside of academia, exposure to different ways of adopting research thinking, methodologies and approaches within non-academic contexts, and developing networks and careers advice,
- Mentees feel engaged in their own professional development through being able to negotiate the terms of their mentoring needs with their mentor as the relationship develops.
- Mentors feel they are contributing to the professional development of the future workforce and nurturing leadership talent.
- Mentors and mentees have a deeper understanding of each other’s worlds.
Case Studies
To apply for this programme as a mentee please read the guidance and complete the Application Form by 08.11.2023 5pm.
To apply for this programme as a mentor please read the guidance and complete the Application Form by 08.11.2023 5pm.
The successful mentees will be matched with a mentor in December and the programme begins with a compulsory launch event. The Launch Event will take place in person at the Royal Society of Edinburgh – details to be confirmed closer to the time.
For any questions, please contact the Programme Coordinator, Kelly Barbour – team@sgsss.ac.uk.
Timeline 2023-2024
Application call open
Application deadline
Outcomes announced
SGSSS Mentoring Programmes Launch event for selected mentees/mentors
Mentors/mentees individual meetings
My mentor and I discussed plans for the future, my aspirations, what areas of my research I enjoy and don't, we explored abstracts and conferences papers to help me understand what i felt more passionate about. Today I feel more relaxed about career development, I am clearer about my priorities, and feel more open to different experiences and routes.” Mentee, Career Pathways Mentoring programme 2020/21
