Become an actor
You are eligible to apply as an actor (mentee), if you are a master's or doctoral degree student and you are enrolled at the university when the programme starts.
Please note that we are building a new mentoring platform, which will delay the registrations and launch of the 2024-2025 mentoring programme until the end of the year. Stay tuned for updated information on next year’s programme later on this website!
Should I apply to the Mentoring Programme?
In Aalto University Mentoring Programme, mentoring refers to a long-term and goal-oriented conversational relationship, in which a working mentor acts as a sounding board, sparring partner, and supporter for the student being mentored, i.e. the actor.
The Aalto University Mentoring Programme is a six-month Programme running from November to May. (Please note that the 2025 Programme will start in January 2025).
The Programme includes
- A joint kickoff event in November (on Zoom)
- One-to-one mentoring meetings approximately once a month during Dec-May
- A joint closing event in May
The topics discussed in mentoring are always based on the actor's personal needs and goals, and it is especially the actor's own development process.
With the help of mentoring, you can, among other things
- find and clarify your own career goals and dreams
- expand your knowledge of working life and alternative careers
- develop your professional skills and improve your job search skills
- develop your interaction and communication skills
- challenge yourself to encounter new ideas and views
- expand your network
To become an actor, it is essential that you are willing to develop yourself, you have an active attitude and you are ready to commit and take a proactive role in the mentoring process. Already when applying you should be ready to set targets for the mentoring and to your own progress. In one-on-one discussions with your mentor, an actor should have courage to bring out their own views, to give feedback and even disagree with the mentor. It is actor´s role to make sure that the mentoring process progress with regular meetings once a month. Mentor’s role is to provide support and inspiration and to be a sounding board for the actor’s ideas. An actor should keep in mind that it is not the mentor’s task to solve actor’s problems but to help an actor to solve the problems by themselves.
Mentor, Aalto University Mentoring ProgrammeReflect on what you want out of Mentoring Programme and tell it to your mentor. The whole Programme is built for you.
Who are the mentors?
Mentors are mainly Aalto University graduates, alumni, who have at least four years of working experience after completing their degree. The pool of mentors is very heterogenous; There are experts, managers, leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs, freelancers, newly retired, people who have changed their career path.
Majority of mentors live in Helsinki region, but there are also mentors living outside capital area or abroad. What connects mentors is their willingness to help and support students with the concerns and questions students themselves have about working life and career. Mentors act in their role voluntarily, usually alongside to their day job.
You will find the descriptions of mentor candidates in the Application section during the student application period.
Do you already have a mentor candidate in your mind? Take courage and ask this person as your mentor. You may search a mentor candidate on LinkedIn. Thus, already “matched” mentoring pairs are welcomed to join the programme.
Actor, Aalto University Mentoring ProgrammeYou get to know a new person and form a bond that you otherwise wouldn't. It opens new opportunities.
What does it take to participate in the mentoring programme?
A mentoring relationship requires commitment and time. Before applying for the programme, consider whether you have the motivation to commit to mentoring alongside your studies and potential job. We prioritise applicants who demonstrate in their application that they are motivated and willing to commit to the mentoring process. Remember, mentoring is for your benefit!
What we expect from you
- commitment to mentoring for the duration of the programme (November-May) - including during a possible exchange
- an active and proactive role in relation to your mentor
- open and confidential communication with your mentor
- setting targets and agreeing on practical issues together with your mentor
- understanding that your mentor is not expected to offer you a job offer or another placement
- responding to mentoring enquiries and providing feedback
- in case of problems contacting the mentoring programme leader
Apply to mentoring programme
The next application round for the Mentoring Programme takes place in January 2025. More detailed information will be updated on this page later.
You are eligible to apply as an actor (mentee), if you are a master's or doctoral degree student and you are enrolled at the university when the programme starts in November.
We recommend that international students do not apply for both the mentoring programme and the Aalto International Talent group mentoring programme in the same academic year, as both programmes require commitment and time.
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Go through the mentor candidate profiles and select 2-3 mentors that would be suitable for you.
Master's students mentor candidates: (available during the application period).
Doctoral students' mentor candidates: (available during the application period). - Fill out the application form by 5th November (link to application form).
In the form, we ask you about your studies, your career aspirations and goals, and your needs for mentoring. In addition, we ask you to name 2-3 mentor candidates and justify your choice.
We will ask you the following information:
- name and contact information
- date of birth
- student number
- hobbies and interests
- educational background, degrees, (major and minor)
- your thoughts and wishes about your career
- goals and wishes for mentoring, need and motivation to participate
- three themes that you would like to cover during the mentoring program
- 2-3 mentor candidates of your choice (indicate the candidate's number, name and title) and the reasons for the choices.
- readiness to accept a mentor other than the candidates you suggested
The information you provide in the form is stored in Aalto University alumni register. Your data will be handled strictly confidentially in accordance with the privacy notice for Aalto's partnership services.
There are around 180 mentor candidates who have signed up for the 2023-2024 Mentoring Programme. The mentor profiles contain information about the studies, career, professional skills and hobbies of the mentor candidates.
Most of the mentor candidates are alumni of Aalto University (and its predecessor universities, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics and University of Arts and Design Helsinki) or Aalto EE, but there are also come so-called Friends of Aalto who have completed their degrees elsewhere.
Mentors are classified into industry-specific categories. The division has been made partly based on the mentor's industry and partly on the basis of the job. It is clear that the mentor of many could be placed in several categories. We recommend you search a mentor from many different categories!
In the mentor profile, you can see in which language(s) the mentor is ready to mentor. There are some mentors that are only available to mentor in Finnish.
- Apply for a mentor with an open mind and look for mentor candidates also among candidates other than your own field. The mentor's background and experience do not necessarily have to be similar to yours. By browsing the mentor candidates, you will notice that among the mentors that have stayed advanced in their field and on the other hand, there are mentors who have ended up far from their original studies.
- Think about what kind of mentor you would get along well with and what kind of mentoring you need. You can get a hint of the mentor's personality from their hobbies and greetings to the actor candidate. Some of the mentors are experienced mentors and some are beginners in the role of mentor.
- Read the descriptions of the mentors carefully and trust your intuition when choosing a mentor candidate.
- Remember that mentoring is an interactive conversational relationship in which the mentor helps you find the answers to your questions. Mentor's purpose is not to be an all-encompassing information bank. Mentoring is primarily your development project!
- Go through the mentor candidate profiles carefully and select 2-3 suitable mentors for you.
- Fill out the application form by 5th November.
- Mentoring pairs are formed on the basis of students' mentor requests. We will inform you by email by 24th November at the latest whether you have been selected for the mentoring programme.
- If you have been selected, we will send you your mentor's contact information. As an actor, it is your job to get in touch with your mentor before the start of the programme.
The majority of students will be assigned a mentor of their choice, but please note that we cannot guarantee it.
Mentoring Programme: Frequently asked questions
Here you will find the most frequently asked questions about the mentoring programme. If you can't find the answer, please contact [email protected].
Reach out for more information
