Your experience could change a career: be an IChemE mentor

Dianne Watson, head of volunteer engagement at IChemE, highlights the vital role of mentors and outlines why we are looking for more people to come forward

MENTORS offer far more than technical advice; they give advice that can change lives. They help to reflect on experience or offer guidance to their mentees through their initial professional development, identify skills or competence gaps and help to build a structured plan to address them. When their mentee is ready, they provide invaluable support throughout their Chartered or Fellow application, helping them to present their strongest case for membership.

For many chemical engineers, the journey to professional recognition can feel daunting. Knowing when to apply or where to focus development efforts isn’t always obvious. IChemE mentors provide targeted insight, grounded in lived professional experience and this is one of the reasons mentored applicants often have an enhanced experience.

Supporting career and professional development more broadly

The challenges chemical engineers face today are complex and varied – securing their first job, transitioning sectors, returning from a career break, navigating early leadership roles or building networks in a fast‑changing industry – mentors can be a vital lifeline in all of these situations.

Why mentoring benefits he mentor as much as the mentee

Offering support to members beyond your own organisation can broaden your horizons and give insight into the opportunities and innovations shaping chemical engineering across a wide range of regions, sectors and cultures.

While mentees gain confidence, direction and practical support, mentors themselves often speak of the varied rewards of mentoring. Supporting another engineer’s development creates an opportunity to sharpen skills and reflect on their own journey and give something back to their Institution and its members.

Volunteering as a mentor is impactful continuing professional development (CPD) and can be both personally and professionally rewarding.

A simple and flexible way to get involved

IChemE Connect’s Mentor Match makes it easy to offer your time and expertise. Mentors outline the skills and experience they can share and mentees use this information to find mentors who meet their needs. The mentor remains in control – choosing how many mentees to support and taking breaks whenever needed.

Alongside Mentor Match, IChemE Connect hosts a dedicated mentors’ community with a Framework for Effective Mentoring, guidance and discussion – underpinned by a growing schedule of webinars covering all aspects of mentoring.

Could you be a mentor?

The answer is almost certainly yes. Your experience – no matter how ordinary it may feel to you – could transform someone’s career. With more members than ever before seeking support, we need volunteers across all grades, career stages and geographies who can offer guidance, encouragement and a listening ear.

More than 300 members currently volunteer their time to help others reach significant milestones. But, with the number of membership applications rising, this isn’t enough to meet demand.

Your insights could be exactly what another engineer needs to unlock their next step.

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To enrol as a mentor, log on to: https://connect.icheme.org and click on Mentor Match in the top navigation bar or contact volunteer@icheme.org for more information