This case study demonstrates the benefits of having a mentor / mentee relationship.
CIHT interviewed two members who registered on CIHT Mentoring as a mentee and a mentor. We asked them about their experiences using the CIHT Mentoring platform.
The relationship concluded with the mentee achieving a professional qualification with CIHT.
April Morrison, Technical Officer, Aberdeen City Council, MCIHT IEng.
April says:
Pleased to share that I passed my IEng review with Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT). A massive thanks to CIHT and others who supported me. CIHT Mentoring helped me find my Mentor, Emma Towle, who helped me with the final push to get my application together.
CIHT asked:
I had started my application a few months before seeking out a mentor, but I was struggling to bring everything together. After attending a CIHT webinar delivered by the Education team on preparing for a professional review, I decided to use the mentoring platform to find a mentor who could support me through the process.
I had no reservations about becoming a mentee. After the webinar, I saw it as a positive opportunity to gain guidance and career support with working towards my IEng.
It was very straightforward to use and create a profile with excellent guides to access along the way. It made getting started and finding a great mentor quick and stress free.
The matching process was easy to navigate. I was able to browse mentor profiles and look for someone who had worked in a similar industry and with experience working with or alongside local authorities.
After the initial meeting, I realised how much simpler the process of working towards my IEng professional qualification would be with a mentor. I felt more focused, and my mentor was able to guide me towards areas of my application that required improvement.
Mentoring was flexible and easy to fit around my work commitments. It can require a little flexibility on the part of both mentor and mentee, but we were able to arrange to meet at times that suited us both.
One of my main challenges I faced was making sure my application clearly demonstrated my experience to ensure they aligned with the required competencies. My mentor helped me refine how I presented my answers, so they were more focused and directly address each competency. This made a big difference, and I felt more confident with my application.
Having a mentor improved my confidence throughout the process. It was helpful to have someone to talk things through with and sense check my approach, which reassured me that I was on the right track. It helped me stay focused as I worked towards my IEng.
I would recommend signing up to the mentoring platform. It was very easy to use, and having a mentor gives you extra support and guidance throughout the application process. It was a positive experience and made the process more manageable.
Emma Towle, Senior Associate Engineer at Stantec, CEng MCIHT IEng FIHE.
Emma says:
Congratulations to April Morrison for achieving her IEng professional qualification with CIHT. A big shout out to the CIHT mentoring platform that connects people looking for general mentoring support and those who are preparing for their professional review. CIHT Mentoring connects mentee with mentors who have the experience, and can help guide them through the process.
I wanted to become a mentor because when I was working towards IEng, Experiential Learning and CEng, I didn’t know anyone within CIHT who had been through the process and could provide guidance. I wanted to be able to support others going through a similar journey. I am also currently in the process of signing up to act as a professional reviewer, so that I can assess candidates for their competence and support other people through the professional qualification process.
No, I did not have any reservations about becoming a mentor. I was looking forward to the experience and to having the opportunity to help and support others.
It was very easy to get started and use the platform. However, I personally find communication with mentees more straightforward via email, so I tend to encourage that approach, but the platform has video chat and email functionality, so it accommodates all learning styles.
The matching process worked very well. We were matched easily and our industries aligned closely. Even where there may be slight variations in key skills, the fundamental requirements for aligning with United Kingdom Specifications for Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) are similar across the board. So, it is still possible to effectively support people with different technical backgrounds and skill sets.
It has been very flexible and easy to arrange around work and other commitments. Occasionally I review my mentees’ submissions during evenings or weekends and try to fit in calls during the day whenever I can make them work with my schedule.
One challenge I can think of is when I supported a different mentee with strengthening parts of their professional application and ensuring their experience aligned clearly with UK-SPEC requirements. I provided feedback on areas where they could better demonstrate their communication skills, such as explaining how they tailored their communication style when engaging with different stakeholders.
I suggested including stronger examples of verbal communication, such as chairing meetings, to better evidence competency requirements. In addition, I recommended expanding further on health, safety and risk management aspects within the application. The candidate was initially hesitant, but when I explained the process clearly, they updated their profile as suggested. As a result, the mentee was able to strengthen their submission and confidently present their experience and competencies.
Mentoring has helped me improve my communication skills. I personally get very nervous when undertaking presentations and speaking in front of people, so becoming a mentor gave me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone by speaking with people I didn’t know and building my confidence.
I would encourage them to try it, as mentoring can be beneficial for both the mentor and the mentee in so many ways.
Everyone has different skills and talents, so I don’t think seniority is essential to being a good mentor. Experience and practical skills are more important, but also, the mentor platform allows for reverse mentoring, so early career professionals can mentor more experience peers.
The CIHT Mentoring platform connects CIHT members who are looking to receive and or offer, career development. If you're looking for a mentor (or a mentee) the first thing to do is to register on the CIHT Mentoring platform.
If you are already signed into the CIHT website you will be automatically signed in, otherwise you just need to enter your CIHT username and password.
For further information and advice, please contact the CIHT Education Team via e-mail: professionaldevelopment@ciht.org.uk
