Mentor Recruitment Best Practices:
High School Programming
Industry professionals are the foundation of every successful ACE Mentor Program affiliate. Their practical experience, industry knowledge, and enthusiasm help students connect classroom learning with real-world careers in architecture, construction, and engineering. More than volunteers, mentors serve as role models, coaches, and advocates who inspire students to pursue careers in the built environment.
Recruiting qualified mentors should be an ongoing effort rather than a seasonal task. Building relationships throughout the year creates a strong pipeline of volunteers and helps affiliates meet the changing needs of students and mentor teams.
Before recruiting, evaluate your affiliate’s volunteer needs for the upcoming program year. Planning ahead helps ensure each ACE team has the appropriate mix of professionals and expertise.
Consider:
- Expected student enrollment
- Number of mentor teams needed
- Desired mentor-to-student ratio
- Representation from architecture, engineering, construction, and specialty disciplines. Dive into the database to determine the demographics of your mentors vs. students
- Leadership positions such as Team Leaders or Lead Mentors
- Guest speakers, competition judges, scholarship reviewers, and committee volunteers
Whenever possible, be specific in your ask to firms and organizations. If you provide too many options or too many ‘light lifts’ you might not get enough volunteers to support your high school programming.
Successful affiliates recruit from a variety of industry partners and professional networks. Building relationships across the local AEC community expands your volunteer base and increases program visibility.
Potential recruitment sources include:
- Board Firms (require board members to engage employees)
- Public agencies
- Colleges and universities
- Professional associations
- Industry organizations
- Current mentors and alumni
Current mentors are often your best recruiters. Encourage them to invite colleagues, supervisors, and professional contacts to participate.
A good place to start is to explore ACE National Sponsor List
The most successful recruitment efforts are personal, consistent, and mission-driven. Rather than waiting until the program begins, affiliates should communicate throughout the year about volunteer opportunities and the impact mentors have on students.
Best practices include:
- Ask current mentors to recruit colleagues. (ACE DC has a template form business cards that say – you would make a great mentor)
- Lunch and Learns (provide template?)
- Share mentor success stories and student achievements.
- Highlight employer benefits such as workforce development and employee engagement. (Link to mentor surveys)
- Highlight impact on students and industry (Link to student survey stats)
- Promote opportunities through newsletters, websites, and social media.
- Attend career fairs and industry conferences.
- Maintain relationships with firms even when they cannot participate immediately.
Here is sample from ACE Greater Philadelphia on ACE Volunteer Roles
Prospective mentors are more likely to volunteer when they understand the impact they can make.
When recruiting, emphasize that mentors have the opportunity to:
- Inspire future industry professionals.
- Give back to their profession.
- Develop leadership and communication skills.
- Expand their professional network.
- Represent their company within the community.
- Help develop tomorrow’s workforce.
Review the mentor survey results for data to support these claims (INSERT LINK TO FLYER)
Employers also benefit through:
- Corporate social responsibility initiatives
- Number of ACE Alumni entering the workforce
- Employee engagement and professional development
- Opportunities to build future talent pipelines
- Data support
Intentional recruitment goes hand in hand with understanding your program needs. If you know you have a large percentage of students interested in architecture, but only a small number of mentors who are architects, craft you messaging around this. Let relevant firms know the need. People are more likely to volunteer when they believe they are needed and the job can’t just be done by anyone.
It is tempting to downplay the volunteer requirements of an ACE Mentor in an effort ‘to get them in the door.’ However, research shows that when mentors know the program expectations up front, they are more likely to stay in the mentoring program. It is important to let mentors know the following:
Prospective mentors should understand:
- Program goals and mission
- Onboarding requirements
- Time commitment
- Meeting schedules
- Team expectations
- Any other responsibilities
Here is sample from ACE Greater Philadelphia on ACE Volunteer Roles
Use these ready-to-use tools and materials to support your mentor recruitment efforts. Resources are designed to help affiliates promote mentoring opportunities, communicate the value of getting involved, and connect with prospective mentors in their communities.
Need guidance?
Reach out to your Regional Director or the ACE National Team for support on additional Mentor Recruitment Best Practices for High School Programming