Jackie Stouffer, Vice-President of FIDI’s 39 Club, introduces a new initiative to enable young movers to benefit from the experience and guidance of experienced mentors from within the industry
After a year in the works, the FIDI 39 Club is incredibly proud to announce the official launch of the FIDI Future Mentorship Programme. FIDI Future Mentorship is an exciting opportunity for the upcoming generation of our industry leaders to learn and grow outside of their individual companies, under the guidance of qualified industry mentors.
Why apply?
Talent retention is without a doubt a hot topic in today’s world, and rightly so. Companies are finding it difficult enough to attract young talent, but retaining it is becoming an even larger issue.
Our industry has much to offer, and there are a multitude of career paths available to FIDI’s next generation. However, perception is reality, and if the next generation cannot imagine what their future in this industry may look like, they may turn elsewhere to work towards their career goals.
As members of the FIDI community, we all have a responsibility to attract, retain and promote the growth of our younger and upcoming talent. The FIDI 39 Club believes that FIDI Future Mentorship will provide a unique growth opportunity for mentees and mentors alike, ultimately leading to increased staff retention throughout the industry.
Whether you are interested in becoming a mentee or a mentor, the programme offers benefits to staff at all stages of their careers. If you are a new employee, transitioning roles, or just looking for an outside perspective, becoming a mentee may be incredibly rewarding and beneficial to your career. And having an independent, third-party to discuss your questions and concerns with, in a safe space, is an incredible opportunity.
For those who have been through more than their fair share of peak seasons, but continue to come back for more, the FIDI 39 Club would like you to become a mentor. Your experience, the challenges you have faced, and your personal developments will prove vital learning tools to the upcoming generation – so please sign up for the programme and share your experience and knowledge.
Who is eligible to apply?
To be an eligible mentee for the programme, you must be a registered FIDI 39 Club member at the time of application. If you are interested in applying, but are not yet a member, please contact 39club@fidi.org to begin your enrolment process.
To be considered as a mentor, you must have a minimum 10 years’ industry experience and be an employee of a FIDI Affiliate.
Participation in FIDI Future Mentorship will be limited in this initial term, and all prospective participants are encouraged to apply online as early as possible.
Programme timeline
The application period will close in mid-January 2023. The FIDI 39 Club will then contact all selected participants and provide further information about the programme, including a mandatory orientation for all participants. The initial programme term is three months. At the conclusion of this term, another application period will open for new participants.
FIDI Future Mentorship is meant to be a building block for our up-and-coming talent, with the aim of creating a more stable foundation for the future growth of our industry. It is one of the first steps towards the FIDI 39 Club commitment to offering its members, and the whole FIDI community, a toolbox of resources to propel the industry forward.
That said, FIDI Future Mentorship is ultimately a tool, and it is up to users to make the most of it. In other words, you will get out of the programme what you put in. The FIDI 39 Club urges all prospective applicants to be certain they have the time and focus to dedicate to their participation, in order to make the most of this unique experience.
So, what are you waiting for?
Applications are now open online and we cannot wait to kick off the inaugural term of this exciting initiative, so commit to your development and send in your application today.
You can find more information about the FIDI Future Mentorship Programme on FIDINET and via www.fidi39club.org.
