Written by: Megan Valencia, Human Resources Director & Summer Smith, Safety Manager
January is National Mentoring Month! We would like to highlight our standout mentorship program in honor of this important initiative. TPD’s mentoring program has grown significantly since its inception, setting clear goals for mentors and mentees to build meaningful relationships. It aims to establish objectives for growth, development, and understanding, offering insights into job training and career advancement post-graduation. This initiative fosters connections amongst TPDers, providing a platform for career guidance and networking.
Participation at TPD
TPD’s current full-time staff is comprised of 23% former co-ops and interns. The co-op and internship programs provide benefits for both students and TPD by fostering growth with a new prospective workforce.
Our Mentor Program aims to create meaningful relationships between mentors and mentees. It facilitates career guidance and networking, enhancing employee engagement, promoting diversity, strengthening company culture, and breaking down departmental silos. The mentors are seasoned professionals who often share experiences and knowledge for the personal development and career growth of their mentee. Mentors are considered as aids in the active pursuit of learning. The mentees are responsible for their professional growth.
Other Programs
Additional mentorship programs TPD participates in are TPD’s Cooperative Education (Co-op) program and our Internship program.
TPD’s Co-op Program is designed to provide students with practical, hands-on experience related to their field of study. It is intended to give students the chance to apply their academic knowledge to real-world work. This is extremely beneficial to the mentees because it also allows them to earn academic credit for their work, and the program is often required for certain degree programs (especially in engineering, business, and technical fields). Co-ops specialize in specific areas in their chosen field. They are usually structured as part of a formal educational program where students alternate between periods of work and study for up to six (6) months.
TPD’s Internship Program is designed for the mentees to explore and can serve as an opportunity for mentees to gain experience in various fields, even if the work is not related to their major. Some internships are more about exposure to a particular industry or company. Internships are often shorter, usually lasting a few months during summer or part-time during the school year which makes them more flexible. While some internships are integrated into degree programs, many are independent, allowing students to select internships that match their interests without formal incorporation into their education. This will provide exposure to the industry while broadening the focus into the different industries.
The HR Team helps participants match by career path and interests, fostering connections for continued relationships after the mentorship program.
Success Stories
From a former TPD co-op, now TPD full-time employee, and potential future mentor:
“I think that the co-op programs that TPD participates in are extremely beneficial to students, as well as to TPD and its staff. The co-op program allows students to ‘test drive’ companies and find the best fit without the stigma of quitting if they discover the line of work is not for them. This allows students to get hands-on experience and learn about a field they are planning to enter upon graduation. On the flipside, it allows TPD to vet students for future employment. Upon the completion of a co-op, sometimes it even allows for the employee to continue part-time, or plan on coming back full-time with TPD, as a known hard-working and interested employee.”
From a current mentor:
“She (the mentee) has been very engaged and appreciative, great experience for the both of us. We meet monthly and have topics that I provide her for each session, usually two weeks in advance. She typically responds with questions that she has around that topic and how it relates to my career and her career… So, all is good so far with our mentor-mentee connection!”
