We invite you to check out the online Introduction to Mentoring to discover what the program is about and how it can help you.
Formal One-Year Guided Program
National Rollouts
Time: 2- per year
National Rollouts are mentoring events where recruitment is the focus. They occur twice a year, Spring and Fall and are an all out recruitment blitz. Protégés are sought and encouraged to apply for a mentor. Applications are received from every discipline and all regions. The purpose of these National Rollouts is to increase the availability of formal mentoring to the USGS employees. The benefits of National Rollouts include widespread availability, increased mentoring, increased sharing of knowledge, cost-effective learning, decreased learning curves and increased acculturation.
Details:
- Two per year
- Spring/Summer Rollout: June 20, 2013 (Make-up date July 11, 2013
- Program Eligibility Requirements
- The Formal One-Year Guided Mentoring Program is open to all USGS employees in all regions. Those employees with five years or less of USGS service are invited to apply for a mentor and all other USGS employees are invited to apply to be a mentor. Wherever possible, partnerships will be paired within the same region. Supervisory approval is required for all participants.
- Funding for 30 pairs
- Recruitment efforts 6 weeks prior to rollout date
- Matching based on goals and objectives of Protégé
- Targeted mentor recruitment
- Cyber training
- Learning Exchanges
Continuous Mentoring
Time: Continuous
Continuous mentoring involves pairing those individuals that apply to the program between National Rollouts or are “leftover” from a preceding National Rollout. Continuous Mentoring is an extension of the National Rollouts. The purpose of Continuous Mentoring is to enable those applicants applying between rollouts to be serviced in a timelier manner. This would enable applicants to begin their partnerships sooner thereby delivering the learning more quickly. The benefits of implementing Continuous Mentoring include a shorter learning curve for the applicants, quicker acculturation into the USGS, a sense of value for the employee and the facilitation of continuous learning within the USGS.
Details:
- Applications are reviewed and the pairing process begun immediately upon receipt
- Paired applicants are incorporated into the current mentoring partnerships with full access to all the mentoring resources
- Partnerships run for 1-year beginning the month they are paired and concluding 12 months later
- Cyber Training
- Celebrations are conducted once monthly via a cyber seminar
- Program Eligibility Requirements
- The Continuous Mentoring Program is open to all USGS employees in all regions. Those employees with five years or less of USGS service are invited to apply for a mentor and all other USGS employees are invited to apply to be a mentor. Wherever possible, partnerships will be paired within the same region. Supervisory approval is required for all participants.
Outcomes:
- Greater participation in the USGS Mentoring Program
- Shorter learning curve for participants
- Decreased time for acculturation
- Increased availability for training options
Transitioning Mentoring
Time: Now
Transitioning Mentoring is mentoring for those who are transitioning into new/other jobs within the USGS. These participants include those with greater than 5 years of service. This component of the USGS Mentoring Program would be part of the Formal Program. The purpose of Transitional Mentoring is to provide all the employees of the USGS a formal mentoring opportunity. This component expands the opportunity to those employees with greater than 5-years of service but who have transitioned into a new position or role. The benefit of Transitional Mentoring is that it offers a mentoring resource to those who are in need of a role model, guidance and information even though they may have several years of service to the USGS.
Just in Time Mentoring
Time: Immediate
This program involves meeting the mentoring needs of an individual, Cost Center or Team for a short duration and for a specific transfer of knowledge. The purpose of “Just in Time Mentoring” is to provide a resource for those with specific short term mentoring needs who need assistance in finding and pairing employees, within the USGS, who possess that necessary skill. The benefit of “Just in Time Mentoring “is that it enables employees to receive timely information, knowledge and learning in a cost-effective manner. This section of the e-mentoring platform will allow access to the following opportunities:
Details:
- Call a Mentor
- Ask a Question—(Submission of a question to an identified mentor via email)
- Short Term Mentoring (1 time, 2 weeks to 6 months)
- Self-Matching
- Funded by the Cost Center seeking the information/mentor
- Program Eligibility Requirements
- The Just in Time Mentoring Program is open to all USGS employees in all regions. Wherever possible, partnerships will be paired within the same region. Supervisory approval is required for all participants.
E-mentoring
Time: TBD
E-mentoring is mentoring utilizing the capabilities of the internet. E-mentoring communities are created to enhance transfer of knowledge, build networks and to increase retention. The benefits of E-mentoring are that it is very cost-effective, can reach a large number of people very quickly, builds community quickly and offers a vast opportunity to share large amounts of information in a very short amount of time.
