Mentoring programmes at Tampere University

Mentoring is a process whereby experienced professionals impart their knowledge and skills to aspiring talents at the beginning of their careers. Mentoring is a two-way relationship that benefits both the mentee and the mentor. Talent Tampere Mentoring Programmes are coordinated by the Tampere Universities. All the programmes are running in English.

Mentoring offers you opportunities to

develop your communication skills
familiarise yourself with principles of coaching
expand your network of professional contacts through other mentors and mentees
share your thoughts and experiences with motivated students and graduates in your field
connect with potential future employees and talented, international professionals

We are looking for mentors who are:

professionals in their own field
interested in different countries and intercultural communication
working in the private or public sector
functional English
working in the Tampere region or are ready to travel to joint meetings
experienced with at least of 3 years of work in Finland
still actively in the work market
committed to the programme

Mentoring takes place on a voluntary basis. All three mentoring programmes are running in academic year 2021-2022. The mentors are paired up with mentees and they meet face-to-face about five times. In addition, all programmes include 2-4 group sessions for all mentors and mentees.

If you found these opportunities interesting, then mentoring is for you! Read more about the programmes and apply for the one that suits you best. On top of all, you will have an unforgettable experience.

Finland can be challenging to get started with your professional life as an international, especially if you are left without resources. If you would like to offer help to an international newcomer and to gain new skills and networks at the same time, join the International Talents´ or Hidden Gems mentoring programme and become a mentor!

Our mentoring programmes

International Talents’ Mentoring Programme

International Talents’ mentoring programme is aimed for international degree students at Tampere Universities or other international talents who have graduated from studies somewhere else, moved to Tampere and are looking to start their careers here. In this programme, mentoring is done one-to-one, i.e. each mentor is paired with one mentee. The mentoring programme will run from January to April 2022.

The International Talents´ Mentoring Programme aims to introduce mentees to the nuances of Finnish work culture, help them expand their professional networks, improve the mentees’ job hunting skills and enable them to share their international experiences with the mentors. It can also pave the way for further internationalization within the mentor’s organization.

Mentoring an international talent offers an easy way to develop intercultural competence and expertise in the global work markets. The mentoring programme gives mentors the opportunity to build contacts and develop mentoring skills through practical experience.

Group meetings schedule

Orientation for Mentors, 12.1.2022, at 16.30-18.00, Zoom
Kick-Off Meeting, 26.1.2022, at 18.00-19.30, Zoom
Mid-Programme Meeting, 16.3.2022, at 16.30-18.00
Wrap-up Meeting, 27.4.2022, at 18.00-20.00

If only possible the meetings will be run in a hybrid method, partly live and partly on-line. Location for the live meetings will be confirmed during the autumn. Mariska Roelofs is facilitating all the group meetings.

APPLY NOW!

Please apply by filling in the on-line form by the end of October 2021.

We ask for your contact info and about your motivation for applying and expectations concerning mentoring. The form is the information source for the matching of the pairs so it is very important that you complete the application carefully.

We will begin processing the applications as soon as the application period ends at the end of November. We will contact all the applicants after we have processed the applications and finished the matching process. We will personally inform also those for whom we may not find a suitable partner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that we will find a mentor for each applicant or a mentee for every mentor candidate. By the end of November latest the pairs will be matched and applicants will be contacted.

We will process all applications in absolute confidence, and we will not use the information in them for any other purpose. In order to encourage networking, the contact details and a short professional profile of those approved to the mentoring programmes will be shared with all other participants. Confidentiality is the core of the mentoring relationship and the programmes themselves, too.

Further information
N.N.
firstname.lastname [at] tuni.fi

Mentoring Programme for Hidden Gems Spouses

Mentoring programme for Hidden Gems international spouses takes place from November 2021 to February 2022. Mentoring is part of the Hidden Gems activities for spouses. Hidden Gems initiative offers a variety of integration and relocation services, and in academic year 2021-22 Mentoring Programme is one of them. Hidden Gems supports dual-career couples, namely international spouses of researchers working at Tampere Universities and spouses of employees working in international companies in Tampere region. The spouses have followed their partners to Tampere and wish to pursue and re-start their careers in the region. The spouses may be from different countries and career backgrounds.

We are looking for mentors who can:

Introduce mentees to the nuances of Finnish work culture
Help mentees expand their professional networks
Improve the mentees’ job hunting skills
Enable mentees to share their international experiences with the mentors.
Pave the way for further internationalisation within the mentor’s organisation.

The mentors will be paired with one or two mentees for a duration of three-four months.

Group meeting schedule

Orientation and Kick-Off meeting, Thu 11 November 2021 at 16-18 o'clock (Zoom)
Mid-programme meeting, Thu 9 December 2021 at 17-18 (Zoom)
Wrap-up meeting, Tue 15 February 2022 at 16-18 (Zoom)

Apply to become a mentor!

Application period for 2021-22 has closed, thank you for the applications!

In the Hidden Gems mentor online application form we ask your contact information and about your motivation for applying as well as about your expectations concerning the mentoring process. The application information will be used to match the mentoring pairs as well as possible.

We will begin processing the applications as soon as they arrive and we will contact all applicants in the end of the application period. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that we will find a mentor for each applicant or a mentee for every mentor candidate.

Your information will be used for the mentoring programme only. In order to encourage networking, the contact details and short professional profiles of those approved to the Hidden Gems mentoring programme can be shared with all other participants. Confidentiality is the core of the mentoring relationship and the programme itself, too.

Further information
Senior Specialist Raisa Suominen
hiddengems [at] tuni.fi
+358 40 190 1242

Mentoring Programme for Hidden Gems spouses aims at introducing the international talents with the features of the Finnish working life. Mentoring offers guidance and support in building professional networks and developing career planning skills. Mentor and mentee can also share their international experiences with each other.

Mentoring Programme for Early Career Researchers

Mentoring programme is aimed for doctoral researchers nearing the end of their studies and postdoctoral researchers who are interested in getting guidance and support to their career perspectives and planning, professional development, personal growth and in enhancing their networks.

We are looking for mentors who are willing to share their experience and competence and give tools and ideas to support mentee pursuing their career goals and dreams. Mentors can be either inside or outside the academia, e.g from industry. Another aim in the programme is to enhance cooperation between the academic world and other organizations in a.o. the industry and public sector and create strong networks.

Mentors and mentees are matched based upon similar interests, knowledge or field and the mentoring takes place on a voluntary basis.

The programme helped me to understand my own skills better, reflect on my own career and expand my network by connecting to other mentors and mentees. During the group meetings, I gained many valuable resources on transferable skills and ideas on how to mentor a junior researcher successfully.

Mentor Jessica de Bloom, Academy Research Fellow, Tampere University

Apply now!

Next Mentoring Programme for Doctoral Researchers will take place in starting from January 2022.

The 6 months long programme consists of individual meetings (about 4-5) with your mentee and group meetings. Group meetings are conducted in English and are held virtually in zoom.

Programme schedule for group meetings:

Wed 12 January 2022 at 15.00-16.00 (orientation for mentees) and 17.00-18.00 (orientation for mentors)
Wed 26 January 2022 at 16.30-18.30
Wed 23 March 2022 at 16.30-18.30
Wed 18 May 2022 at 16.30-18.30

Apply now as mentor by 7 December 2021

Further information
HR Specialist Kaisa-Riikka Salomaa
firstname.lastname [at] tuni.fi
+358 50 531 0571

Interested to apply as a mentee to the International Talents´Mentoring Programme?

The International Talents’ Mentoring Programme is aimed for for international degree students at Tampere Universities or other international talents who have graduated from studies somewhere else, moved to Tampere and are looking to start their careers here. In this programme, mentoring is done one-on-one, i.e. each mentor is paired with one mentee.

The mentoring programme is organized and coordinated by Tampere University. The mentoring programme is conducted in English. The programme starts in January 2022 and ends in April 2022. During the programme, mentees are paired up with mentors and they meet face-to-face (on-line or live) about five times. In addition, the programme includes four group sessions for all mentors and mentees:

Orientation for Mentees 19.1.2022 at 16.30-18.00, Zoom
Kick-Off Meeting 26.1.2022 at 18.00-20.00, LIVE
Mid-Programme Meeting 16.3.2022 at 16.30-18.00, Zoom
Wrap-up Meeting Tuesday 27.4.2022 at 18.00-20.00, LIVE

Locations for the live meeting are to be confirmed. The group meetings are all facilitated by career psychologist Mariska Roelofs. Mariska is an experienced professional who knows the mentoring programme well and is herself an international, having come to Finland from the Netherlands in 2011. She believes in an interactive approach, focusing on a pleasant, open atmosphere where everyone can feel at ease and learn from each other.

Apply by filling in the mentee application form on -line. Pay special attention to the motivation letter in the application. The application is open until 31 of October 2021. All applicants will be contacted by the end of November.

More info for mentee candidates/international students (intranet).

The first Talent Tampere mentoring programme was implemented in 2010-2011 by WorkPlace Pirkanmaa project. The concept has gained nationwide popularity and has been used as a benchmark by other universities around Finland.