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First in Family Mentoring continues to thrive
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Written by Marsha Elimelakh and Karen Ho
A long table runs through the outdoor courtyard at the Duck Inn in Chippendale as the sun slowly descends on a late November evening. As everyone arrives, they greet each other with a combined sense of nervousness and familiarity. The night is the graduation event for the 2020 First in Family Mentoring Program and it is the first time some attendees are meeting in person.
In light of COVID-19, the First in Family Mentoring Program continued to be a tremendously beneficial experience for both mentors and mentees in 2020. The School of Economics launched the first run of the First in Family Mentoring Program in 2018, partnering Economics alumni with students who were first in their family to attend university. Two years later, the mentoring program has continued to thrive with another 16 students successfully completing the program. The overall aim of the First in Family Mentoring Program is to offer students in the penultimate or final year of their degree the opportunity to access a mentor for support and guidance. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience amongst the alumni of the School of Economics. By connecting our students with mentors throughout their studies, the School of Economics provides them with a unique opportunity to be inspired and to learn from the experiences and knowledge of our graduates. As mentee, Xavier Smaill said, “The time spent talking with Rob [Montgomery] has significantly helped me develop an understanding of post-university life. With my main goal being to find where I want to end up, the program significantly helped myself in narrowing that down.”
First in family students quite often experience isolation while at university, especially when finding direction in
their careers and understanding how the professional world works. Students in the program are seeking advice on entering the workforce, as well as additional guidance on topics such as career exploration, technical and interpersonal skill development, CVs and written applications, and interview skills. “As a first in family student, I had no idea what it’s like to work in the world of business,” one mentee said. “The most valuable aspect was to be given an insight into the day-to-day work of being an economist in a private firm.”
The 2020 program launched virtually on 15 September with mentees and mentors meeting for the first time online. Former 2019 mentee, Amanuel Woldermariam was invited to speak about his experience with mentor Tim Perich, Sales Trader at State Street Global Markets. The pair have built a successful relationship, continuing to keep in contact even after the program officially concluded. Amanuel emphasised the importance of making the most of the opportunity and to ask insightful questions of the mentors. He credited Tim’s expertise and advice towards helping him secure an internship and subsequent employment opportunities.
Eliza Owen, Head of Australian Research at CoreLogic has been a mentor since the inception of the program in 2018. She also spoke at the launch, sharing the positive learning experiences gained from her mentees as her reason for returning each year. For Eliza, mentoring is also an easy way to give back to the School and University community that had been so formative during her time as a student. First time mentor, Natalie Baker, Senior Advisor at Productivity Commission shared similar sentiments. “It was my pleasure to be a part of the program – the University of Sydney provided me with many fantastic opportunities throughout my undergraduate degree, and it is great to see that the university continues to provide thoughtful programs and guidance beyond the lecture rooms!”
All the mentors are University of Sydney alumni with an economics background, demonstrating the diversity of where an economics degree can take you. Throughout the years, our mentors have worked in a wide range of organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sector including J.P Morgan, APRA, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, American Express, NCIE and Commonwealth Bank. “The most valuable aspect of the program was being able to talk to someone in the field, who quite recently had to make the same transition from university to work,” another mentee said. “This mentorship has been extremely valuable as I believe it has given me a contact who is willing to keep in contact and answer any questions I might have, even after the program was finished.”
After three years, First in Family continues to evolve as a successful program for the School of Economics. As
Images: 2020 First in Family Mentoring graduation celebrations (left), 2019 mentor Taleen Shamlian with mentee, Caelan Bistram
a returning mentor remarked, “I think the program has improved from the first year and will go from strength to strength.” The partnerships have also translated to positive results with first in family students gaining internships and cadetships in their desired fields.
Mentee Shelby Hunt earned a cadetship towards the end of the program. She attributed her mentor, Caroline Boateng (Senior Strategy Manager, Commonwealth Bank) as a key driver to helping her succeed. When 2019 mentee, Sabrina Chen was asked if she would recommend the program to others, she also acknowledged her mentor, Indu Balachandrian (Chief Operating Officer at The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence) in her success. “Yes. Absolutely yes, my mentor was so heartwarming and supportive, and I have received an offer from KPMG!”
In a tough year, it has been inspiring to see the connections form between students and our experienced alumni who continue to contribute to the development of aspiring leaders. For new mentor, Nadia Schiavon, Managing Director and Head of Securities Services (ANZ) for JP Morgan and Chase, the leap to commit as a mentor was well worth the time. “It was a great experience which exceeded my expectations primarily due to an outstanding mentee. I am richer as a person following my interaction with Ryan.” As one student noted, sometimes it only takes one person to make a difference. “The program exceeded my expectations. I did not expect to be paired with such a highly experienced mentor who so passionately did their best to help me navigate my way towards a career in economics.”
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Captions 1. Harrison Ngyuen with mentor, Kara Hooper at launch (2019) 2. Professor Garry Barrett with mentee, Ryan Morgan at graduation (2020) 3. Tim Perich with mentee, Amanuel Woldermariam (2019) 4. Rhys Creer with returning mentor, Eliza Owen at graduation (2020) 5. Shelby Hunt with mentor, Caroline Boateng at graduation celebrations (2020) [2]
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