The second round of our new Mentorship Program launched this Spring when Prov. RGDs were invited to apply to participate and select their top two choices from a list of 11 specially-selected mentors.

We received 20 applications from Provisional RGD Members and 18 partnerships have been made so far, with RGD working to identify other appropriate RGD Mentors for those applicants remaining.

It has been great to hear positive feedback from both the Mentees and Mentors:

"It was a pleasure to talk with my Mentor. Her experiences and design work are truly inspiring. Thanks to her teachings I have a good sense of my future steps to improve my design work and design career. I enjoyed making a meaningful connection." - Daniela Buitrago Prov. RGD

"I'm very thankful to have a mentor help push me further in my career, provide me with honest feedback, and engage in insightful conversations." - Talia Dimerman Prov. RGD

"It is always rewarding to be able to guide and listen to someone that is eager to learn and curious to keep on developing her/ his skills. It is sometimes sharing the simplest of experiences or those we take for granted that can shift a way of thinking and help build a stronger foundation of design thinkers." - Vanessa Eckstein RGD

A new set of Mentors for Provisional RGDs to choose from will be announced in August with a deadline of early September to apply.

The Structure of the Program

For a period of 6-9 months, Mentees participate in 6 sessions with their Mentor, approx. 1 hour each. Sessions can be held locally or virtually depending on the locations of the Mentor and Mentee. For every Provisional RGD not selected by one of our Mentors, RGD will work to identify a similar RGD Mentor in the industry.

Once the pairing has been finalized, the Mentee and their Mentor are ready to start the program! RGD provides a list of suggested discussion topics, however, it is completely up to Mentee and Mentor to decide what to cover in each session.
 

Become a Provisional Member now to participate in the next Session. If you have any questions about the program, email zaria@rgd.ca.

If you've recently graduated from a post-secondary program or have 8 or less years of professional experience, you are eligible to become a Provisional Member. All you have to do is complete the application form and provide proof of graduation. Click here for more information.