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iMentor Prepares the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division for the Future
MENTOR MATCHMAKING IMentor's current incarnation combines traditional distance learning offerings and face-to-face interaction with a com- puter matching component. Someone
The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) was facing 66 percent of their workforce retiring over the next few years. Yet, their mentoring pro- gram only attracted four percent of the workforce. NAWCTSD realized it was more important than ever to transmit a wide range of institutional knowledge to the younger employees. Enter iMentor, a coaching program re- invented for a new generation. "We're really encouraging some of the
more senior people with lots of experience to touch as many lives as they can, and leave a legacy through mentoring,
" said
Sandra Hughes, Research Psychologist at NAWCTSD. The training professionals brought new
people into the iMentor system by hosting a series of events. "We provided a free lunch and a fun and festive atmosphere … for people to share what they know with others and facilitate some matching,
" said Hughes. The result? Over 50 percent of NAWC-
STD staffers participate in iMentor, with some senior staffers giving guidance to six or seven protégées.
seeking a mentor fills out a form detail- ing what sort of mentor one is looking for, including desired skills, location, and other attributes. The mentors also fill out a similar form
detailing what topics and areas of expert- ise they can provide support. Potential mentees can look at a list of mentors who have the aptitudes they seek. Similar to an online dating service, the
system matches the employee to a mentor who matches the employee's needs. It is
"We're encouraging more senior people with lots of experience to touch as many lives as they can, and leave a
legacy through mentoring," – Sandra Hughes, Research Psychologist, NAWCTSD
SUPPORTING THE WAR FIGHTER The NAWCTSD leadership strongly sup- ported the expansion of iMentor. Most people with military experience under- stand the value of mentoring. The impact on performance for younger people is easy to detect. "A lot of times a young person entering
a very large, bureaucratic institution can feel very lost,
" said Hughes. "They're able
to have a person [who] they can always ask questions. I can already see that this is improving their performance. They don't spend two hours looking for a form. They can find it and get back to doing their job."
Learn More:
Experience iMentor: http://www.youtube.com/user/ UnitedStatesNavy?v=6DriBY
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then up to the employee to follow up and make contact in person. They then con- nect via telephone or meet for lunch. Mentors discuss goals, answer ques-
tions, and serve as a general sounding board. Hughes said some mentors find that they learn quite a lot from their mentees.
TECHNOLOGY'S ROLE It is possible for a mentee to be matched with a mentor in a distant location, so some mentoring relationships take place primarily online. "The younger genera- tion grew up using technology to com- municate. It's very comfortable for them,
"
said Hughes. Traditional distance learning also plays
Sandra Hughes, Research Psychologist for the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, pictured with Catherine Upton (left) and Joe DiDonato (right) EMG
a role. Online courses often bring up questions that lead to meaningful men- tor/mentee discussions. Hughes said that this is most effective when such training focuses on hard skills, like process or software training. Soft skills, like giving feedback, benefits more from in-person practice.