Mentor’s training identified as an important factor for successful internships

A virtual round table discussion followed the internships that were implemented at the University of Ioannina in order to gain insights into how the model worked.

Company mentors, students, academic staff and university administration staff highlighted the training of mentors as one of the most important aspects of the implementation of a successful internship program.
Mentor’s training, as they mentioned, is crucial in many ways. First, it guides the potential company mentor into understanding the goals of the internship. Then, it presents to them all the tools that are to be used to design, implement and evaluate the internship and helps them understand how to put the tools to practice and combine them in order to achieve exceptional results. Furthermore, mentor’s training is an excellent opportunity for mentors to connect with the academic environment of the host HEI including key players, namely academic staff and internship administration.

A dedicated mentor’s training can establish a common understanding of the goals that are expected to be achieved and the expectations that are to be met. Previous familiarization of the mentor with the EnterMode Model and the Trainer’s Guide is suggested. As a mentor put it during the virtual round table discussion “ after I have read the Trainer’s Guide, a meeting with academic and administration staff of the University the student is coming from, will help make me feel as a member of a team with a common goal: supporting the student in her path towards unlocking her potentials.”