Scotch College

Need a mentor? Just ask.

Are you looking for a more satisfying job? Perhaps you want to enhance your career prospects, but you’re a bit hesitant about how best to market your own capabilities and special skills. Or maybe you’re halfway through a university course, but you’re unsure where it’s taking you.

If any of the above scenarios fits you, the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association’s Mentoring Program could help you. Since the program began more than three years ago, approximately 150 Old Boys have used it to find satisfying jobs, or to enhance their career prospects by changing roles or occupations.

Successful examples include undergraduates changing courses and developing a five-year career path to begin a new profession, and graduates who have had trouble ‘selling’ themselves into that all-important but highly competitive first role. A number of professional graduates in law, engineering and accounting have used the mentoring process to gain a greater understanding of career options within their profession, and as a result are much happier with the direction their career is taking.

A significant number of mature Old Boys have also used the program to assess career options or to move to a new one after 15 or 20 years in the same field. One of the great strengths of the Scotch Family is that within the network there is always someone we can find with the relevant experience to be of help.

The OSCA Council and the School have worked closely in the development of this program, which is designed to support the growth of the Scotch Family; so if you are looking for help, all you have to do is ask. Here’s how the process works.

The process

Step 1

Register for the program via OSCAnet at www.oscanet.com.au. The registration link along with full details on the program is located in the services section.

If you do not have access to the internet, please contact Rebecca Mortimer in the Development Office on (03) 9810 4302. Rebecca will post you a hard-copy version of the program information.

Step 2

Hamish Long

OSCA ‘process coordinator’ Hamish Long makes contact to clarify needs, and to allocate either an industry-specific or generalist mentor.

Steps 3/ 4

A mentor will provide up to three meetings with the Old Boy seeking assistance. A typical program will consist of clarification of the individual’s needs and the outcomes sought, development of appropriate strategies and milestones, and reviewing progress. Mentors are available from a wide range of industries, professions, the arts and the public sector.

Where more general needs like developing a curriculum vitae or polishing interview skills are identified, then a generalist mentor may be brought into the process to assist.

Step 5

Process coordinator follows up mentors and mentees to complete a questionnaire which reviews the process and its outcomes.

Ross Johnston Mentor Coordinator	Mentor Roland Orchard and Adam Routledge celebrating success

Hamish Long