Mentors share one-on-one practical insights that students aren’t likely to find elsewhere.
With free, safe and personalized access to 3,000 professionals in 80 fields, Academos E-MENTORING enables students to make informed career choices.
In 2011-2012 alone, Academos e-mentors responded to the career-related questions of some 17,500 students in 250 Québec high schools. The service is available to students in Secondary III and up. Once registered, they can continue to use it through to the age of 30.
Exchanges between students and mentors take place by email within Academos’ secure and closelymonitored Web site. “Students like the email format and they get practical advice they might not get elsewhere,” says Antoine Alavo, who coordinates service for the English-language sector. “E-mentors tell students about the reality of their field—both the good and the bad. They debunk stereotypes and can help young people discover some lesser-known careers.”
A recent review of mentor profiles on the public portion of the Web site revealed such diverse occupations as 3D animator, firefighter, speech therapist, criminologist, investigative and forensic accountant, quality assurance analyst and translator, to name a few.
“Academos is a great pathway for learning that helps students connect with professionals who can tell them what a job is really like.”
— Victoria Greer, Special-Education Technician, Riverside School Board
To access an e-mentor, students must be registered as part of a group led by a teacher (or sometimes a guidance counsellor). Each student’s initial inquiry goes to the group leader to be vetted for tone and content. After that, students can email their chosen mentor directly, but teachers can always monitor who students are contacting and the frequency of their exchanges.
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