General Questions

• 1. Who can participate in the mentoring program?
  • Trainees and applicants who are working towards their professional designation, and
  • Professional registrants who are looking for guidance on how to proceed throughout the different stages in their career.
• 2. Is a mentor the same as a supervisor?

  Mentors and supervisors have different roles. A supervisor directly supervises the work of the engineer-in-training, geoscientist-in-training, or applicant. A mentor provides overall career advice and assists with issues that may arise during the professional experience phase. A mentor does not provide direct supervision to the engineer-in-training, geoscientist-in-training or applicant. The mentor and supervisor should work collaboratively to assist the engineer-in-training, geoscientist-in-training or applicant to achieve professional status.

• 3. Does the supervisor need to be involved in the mentoring relationship?

  While it is optimal that the supervisor and mentor work collaboratively to meet the needs of the mentee, the involvement of the supervisor in the mentoring relationship is not required.

• 4. What happens after I send in my application form to the mentoring program?

  The mentoring program coordinator will contact you to confirm if you qualify for the program. Following confirmation, you will gain access to the mentor listing. Please browse through the listing and apply to any interested mentors. Each request will be reviewed and forwarded by the program coordinator.

• 5. How long does it take for a match to be made?

  Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia is committed to matching all participants within a suitable time frame. However, it can sometimes take several months before a suitable match is made. Periodically, the mentor listing is updated with new mentors. Please check the listings often to apply to any new match requests. 

• 6. How do you match mentors with mentees?

  A match is based mainly on the industry, expertise, and geographic location of the mentor and mentee.

• 7. Am I obligated to accept a match?

  No. It is important that you feel comfortable with the person you are matched with, so please feel free to let the mentoring program coordinator know your concerns, and they will initiate another potential match for you.

• 8. What happens during a mentor-mentee meeting?

  Please refer to the resources page for documents and templates that may be of assistance to you.

• 9. How often do the mentor and mentee meet?

  For maximum benefit, the mentor and mentee should communicate on a monthly basis.

• 10. Are professional development credits granted for involvement in the mentoring program?

  Professional Development Hours can be claimed for mentoring activities as outlined in the Continuing Professional Development Guideline. Mentors and mentees may claim the time invested in mentoring under the category of Participation.