My mentees inspire me!
When Enrique Enriquez arrived in Canada from the Philippines in 2003, he brought with him skills in networking, systems support, administration, and teaching. The Mentoring Partnership was yet to be launched. He struggled with and learnt the nuances of the Canadian job market on his own. Today, he works as an Information Technology Analyst with the City of Toronto.
He signed up to The Mentoring Program Partnership because he knew that if he had had a the chance to be mentored when he came to Canada, his transition would have been smoother. “I felt that this program was IT!” And, I wanted to see what I could do to give back to the community”, he adds.
What inspires him to keep working with new comers? “My mentees”, he says, “they give me inspiration to continue to be a mentor. “The passion that the mentees bring, their enthusiasm, willingness to learn, their commitment to success, and never-fail attitude inspires me,” says Enrique.
Having gone through ten mentoring relationships, Enrique realizes that each relationship is unique and has its high and low moments. “A definite high is when a mentees gets a job while the partnership is ongoing, of course.” And for him, “mentoring makes me not take anything for granted.” It has taught me to remain grounded and be practical” he adds.
Enrique uses The Mentoring Partnership online handbook and the mentoring dashboard when he is looking for resources to support his mentoring. He has also participated in the Professional Development series organized by The Mentoring Partnership which he founds very useful. “The networking sessions and mentoring workshops are great. I get to network, learn from other mentors and seek answers to my questions.”
How has mentoring changed Enrique? “It has kept me focused and optimistic about the future and the challenges ahead,” says Enrique, “Knowing the mentees, learning about the skills they bring, and being aware of the opportunities available keeps me motivated.”
As a seasoned mentor, his tips to a new mentor are to be realistic. “Do research about your mentees’ career field, learn from your mentee too — and remember we can’t be superman all the time”.