Students take advantage of the opportunity to connect with industry leaders during the CIM Convention
CIM believes that a key part of the mining community is the future leaders of our industry: the students and recent grads of the various mining and mining-related programs across Canada. In 2018, after discussions with students, it became apparent that an accessible mentoring program allowing students to connect with current leaders in the industry would be of great benefit.
Following such discussions, a request came forward from students at Queen’s University to implement a Mentorship Program. At the time, CIM saw this as an opportunity to make an impact in the community. CIM and Queen’s University committed to establishing a mentorship pilot program.
After a successful year and positive feedback from both university faculty and participants (mentors and mentees alike), CIM made the decision to expand the program Canada-wide. The expansion marked the beginning of a partnership between Canadian mining schools and industry experts.
After a brief hiatus in 2022, CIM prepared for the eventual re-launch of the program with a new platform behind it: MentorCity. This innovative platform allows for streamlined mentor-mentee pairing, a high margin of safety including background checks and a code of conduct, and greater success for participants.
“While we took steps to improve the mentorship experience for both mentees and mentors, an important part of the program update is the addition of MentorCity software,” said Christopher Marilley, director of membership engagement, partnerships and professional development at CIM. “This software will improve the accuracy of the matching process, facilitate meetings and produce reports that will help us provide a better experience for all users.”
All it takes for a mentor or mentee to become part of the newly re-launched program is to register online and complete a profile. Enrolment in the program is free and open to all CIM National members in good standing, including students and recent graduates, anywhere in the world.