MENTORING THE TRAINEE MARINE ENGINEER A Programme of

MENTORING THE TRAINEE MARINE ENGINEER A Programme of the Institute of Marine Engineers (I) for Student Members

Mentoring…… is a process whereby someone with more experience or expertise provides support, counseling and advice to a less experienced colleague or novice

Mentor…… • is the senior in the profession who acts as a role model and helps the trainee to pick up the nuances of the profession

Mentee …… • is a new entrant to the profession undergoing mentoring process

Why Mentoring ? • The IMEI considers it vital that experienced members of the Marine Engineering Profession are involved in training students who are aspiring to enter the profession • Mentoring can be a rewarding experience. • Through the mentoring process the Mentor will learn and develop new skills and techniques • Mentee shall benefit immensely.

The mentor is responsible for: 1 • acting as a guide, coach and role model for the trainee • interacting periodically with the trainee to review experience gained and set objectives for the next period • verifying the record of practical experience submitted by the trainee

The mentor is responsible for: 2 • helping the trainee prepare for the professional competence programme and verifying experience gained for enrolment purposes • completing the mentor’s final report to accompany the trainee’s application for admission to the Institute as a trained Marine Engineer • helping to transfer information to a new mentor if required

The trainee is responsible for: 1 • finding a mentor • keeping a record of the experience s/he gains • ensuring the records of experience are submitted to the mentor regularly completing the period of practical experience

The trainee is responsible for: 2 • advising the Institute of any changes in his/her situation (e. g. change of mentor, change of employer) • enrolling in the professional competence programme when appropriate • preparing for the professional competence programme and passing the professional competence examinations

Benefits of the Mentoring Process For Mentee : • • • Improves self-confidence Offers professional development Provides advice and information Encourages reflection on practice Provides personal support

Benefits of the Mentoring Process For Mentors: • • Refreshes own view of the profession Encourages self-reflection Develops professional relationships Enhances peer recognition

Benefits of the Mentoring Process For the Institute: • Enables meet its Objective of professional development of its current and future members • Enhances members’ performance • Encourages commitment to the Institute

Criteria for Becoming a Registered Mentor • Knowledge of the IMEI , DGS and IMO’s requirements for marine engineers at various levels • Knowledge of the practical experience required for admission to the Institute • Knowledge of issues facing the profession • Ability to counsel, advise, motivate, and direct • Interest in training future members of the IMEI • Recognition as a role model • Availability for regular consultation with the trainee

The Mentor – Mentee Relationship • A relationship must develop for effective mentoring to take place. • Spend time getting to know your Mentee • Let your Mentee know that teachers also make mistakes • Constructively criticize • Know the experience level of the Mentee • Above all, maintain a sense of humour

The Community Mentors need to make their Mentee aware of: • the close relationship between home, community and institution • the skills required to effectively liaise with parents, the importance of diplomacy and discernment in a parent/ mentor relationship; • skills in organising and participating in parent / mentor interviews; • Field work policy, and why protocol and departmental regulations are so important; • the community involvement in the institution • the diplomacy required when working with members of the community.

Skills • • Communication skills Reflection Skills Planning skills Liaison skills Collaboration skills Analyzing and evaluation skills Counseling and encouraging skills Professional skills

Types of Contact for Mentors Face-to-Face • Initiate a face to face meeting especially for important issues • Have a meal together • Meet in the mentor's office or in the IMar. E office if the subject matter is confidential

Types of Contact for Mentors Email • Mentor and Mentee can email each other. • It is a good way for. . . • Mentor to alert Mentee to programs and new information • Mentee to ask quick questions, seek direction • Reminders • Mentor can invite Mentee to attend various programs

Types of Contact for Mentors Phone • An occasional check on the part of the mentors to be personnel • An excellent way for Mentee needing to set up a strategy meeting. Important when confidentiality and tone of voice are critical and email won't do.

Types of Contact for Mentors • Creative Contact • Invite your Mentee to the Mentoring gettogethers, Institute meetings, etc. . • Invite your mentor to attend workshops and programs with you • Remind each other of monthly programming events • Mentors: Email programs you are attending to Mentee and invite them to attend if appropriate

Potential Pitfalls • Limited Time • Lack of Skills • Over-dependence

Objective of Mentoring • The Objective of the Mentoring process is to provide the Mentee to associate with an experienced professional from his/her chosen profession who will guide him/her in his learning process so as to make the best of use facilities and resources available to the Mentee in the training institution.

How to become a mentor ? • Get a copy of the IMEI Guidelines for Mentoring • Check if you are a suitable person • Apply to IMEI for Registration

Start up of the Mentoring Process • Obtain your registration as a Mentor • Get a list of Mentees assigned to you • Prefer all your Mentees to be from the same training stream, 4 yr, 2 yrs or 1 yr • Obtain the relevant TAR book for the training programme • Go through the TAR Book • Interact with the Trainers to understand the training programme • Fix an initial , meeting with your mentees

Mentoring Process in Operation • Get to know your mentee – his strengths , his weaknesses • Advise him of the Opportunities & Threats • Fix the date for the next interaction, its mode – personal meeting, phone call, email etc. • Allocate a task to the mentee • Follow up on last interaction

IME Role in the Mentoring Process • Train the Mentors • Register progressively more Mentors • Provide forum for Mentors to interact with each other. Fix frequency of such forums. • Get feed back from Mentors. Mentees and Training Institutions • Publish the Mentoring Guidelines • Continuously update the Guidelines • Maintain documentation

Let us contribute our time to make India’s Future Marine Engineers THE BEST IN THE WORLD

THANK YOU