O&A Mentoring program

The Oceans & Atmosphere mentoring program welcomes CSIRO Alumni.

We strongly encourage you to become either a mentee or a mentor, if you are not already. Please email alumni@csiro.au and we will send you a registration form.

HR will pair the mentor and mentees based upon the submitted forms. Where possible applicant preferences will be met however this is not always possible. Cross-program mentoring will be encouraged to facilitate relationship building and skills transfer.

We have created a mentoring handbook as a guide for Mentors and Mentees which you will be given when you join the programme.

Mentoring is the practice of supporting an individual through the process of achieving a specific personal or professional result. The research community is a long-term active user of mentoring as a key means to learning, networking and sharing of information between colleagues both within organisations and internationally.

Mentoring pairs individuals who have development aspirations with those who have the desire and ability to transfer knowledge and skills in a professional setting. The specific goals of mentoring partnerships will vary based on individual needs and skills, but mentoring should be a positive experience that ultimately enhances both individual and organisational effectiveness.

The role of the mentee is to:

  • Take control of their own development
  • Show commitment by attending planned sessions, being punctual and taking the actions planned
  • Be prepared to be challenged
  • Be professional in the relationship with the mentor
  • Identify objectives including skills and knowledge they wish to gain
  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Accept responsibility for your own decisions and actions
  • Be open and honest in discussions with the mentor

The role of the mentor is to:

  • Listen actively with interest and hold the focus on the mentee’s agenda
  • Guide the mentee through the thinking process, helping them discover answers to their own questions
  • Help the mentee see the bigger picture
  • Help the mentee reframe how they view something or to consider a different perspective
  • Help the mentee set and achieve goals
  • Provide honest and impartial feedback
  • Show interest in developing people
  • Be able to use personal integrity rather than positional power
  • Encourage the mentee to clarify their thoughts and move beyond their comfort zone
  • Share own experiences and learnings in a constructive manner
  • Assist the mentee to extend their networks, either within or outside the Business Unit, by connecting them with others where they see potential intersection around the science or the customer interface, and/or have experience relevant to challenges the mentee is facing.

It is not the role of mentors to create development opportunities for mentees nor to take part in the mentees performance evaluation.