The Effects of Mentoring on Employability is a fascinating study that draws conclusions from a large and diverse set of data. Over 23,000 individuals were included with 1756 participating in mentoring, with 625 engaged in strong mentoring relationships.
The results are exciting, to say the least: a 4.5-month reduction in job search time amongst 18-23-year-old participants, revealing a strong relationship between mentoring and employability.
Engagement initiatives, particularly mentoring initiatives, are known to have positive effects, but there are few statistics that show their true impact. This makes it difficult to get long-term investment, both financially and in terms of staff hours to run these projects.
Therefore, this study is significant. It presents compelling evidence clearly demonstrating the tangible impact of mentoring on employability for graduates, one of the most important metrics for higher education institutions.
From my professional experience, I know mentoring initiatives usually require low investment in the long-term, and once set-up, bring many benefits to the institution at a low cost. Re-engaging alumni supports career objectives, student satisfaction and fundraising campaigns. It is hard to think of other initiatives that serve so many purposes and have such a measurable impact beyond graduation.
This study opens the door to new data-driven insights around engagement initiatives which ultimately will benefit all of us.
Maria Gutierrez
Strategic and Mentoring Consultant
