Mentoring Pilot

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

Numerous research projects and publications indicate the efficacy of mentoring programs within professional organizations (Baranik, L., Roling, E., & Eby, 2011; Eby, L., Allen, T., Evans, S., Ng, T., & DuBois, D., 2009; Ragins, B., Verbos, A., 2007; Scandura, T. & Williams, E. 2004). This suggestion is nothing new for many, as it mirrors years of demonstrated success within their organization. With the formalized approach to mentoring, where one person (usually senior) is paired with another based on factors such as common backgrounds, interests, or career paths, both parties gain exposure and expertise based on the other’s knowledge. In late June 2014, Chesterfield County Leadership, in conjunction with the Chesterfield County Learning and Performance Center (L&PC), organized a committee dedicated to developing a mentoring pilot program. The committee was comprised of members from the county’s Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) and the Chesterfield Young Professionals (CYP), both of whom identified the need for a mentoring program because of the DAC’s Generational Diversity Project and a CYP survey of Millennials in the county’s workforce. With the successful completion of the program’s pilot in February, 2017 and the launch of the full-scale program scheduled for September, 2017, opportunities to continue the enrichment of Chesterfield County employees look promising.