The HSUHK Professional Mentorship Scheme (PMS), a signature programme organised by the Student Affairs Office (SAO), aims at enabling mentees to expand their professional networks and equip themselves for their future career development through connecting HSUHK students with professionals from different industries. This year, the PMS has recruited more than 65 mentors from the fields of accounting, human resources, banking and finance, education, information technology, logistics, marketing, art administration, public administration, etc., to offer personalised guidance to 120 HSUHK mentees from January to August 2022.

Despite the immense challenges brought again by the pandemic to the community, the PMS 2022 successfully commenced in late January with an online Kick-off and Welcome Session, which allowed mentors and mentees to meet online. To officially kick-off the PMS 2022, mentors and mentees gathered at the ‘virtual HSUHK campus’ specially designed by the SAO for the kick-off event, and lighted up the ‘light bulb’ by typing ‘hashtag PMS 2022’ in the Zoom chatbox. This also signified that the joint efforts of mentors and mentees would illuminate everyone with enlightenment and inspiration.

At the event, Dr Tom Fong, Vice-President (Organisational Development), mentioned that the PMS had already entered its 13th year, and paid tribute to nine long-serving mentors who had been with the Scheme for 10 years or more. A sharing session was also hosted by Ms Esther Lee, Director of Student Affairs, with two seasoned mentors, Mr Fan Kwan and Ms Angela Mung, who shared their mentoring experiences and what they had gained from the PMS.

Mr Kwan and Ms Mung suggested that mentors maintain close ties with mentees by engaging them through regular Zoom meetings and online game sessions when social distancing measures were in place. When the situation allowed, they could strengthen their friendly relationships with students through fun games, casual chats and outdoor activities. Mentees were encouraged to let mentors understand more about their personal backgrounds, career aspiration and actual needs, especially when they could not meet in person, so that mentors could provide them with specific advice and support. Two mentees also shared their experiences in organising different PMS activities, such as an online team-building session and various workshops, under last year’s PMS, and remarked that they had gained a lot in spite of the pandemic situation. 

To counter the impact of social distancing measures under the pandemic, the PMS Creative Team, consisting of six passionate mentees, was established this year to help maximise the PMS’ impact by enhancing interactions between mentors and mentees through various creative means. The Creative Team has already published two issues of ‘Ignited’, a new e-newsletter launched in February, to introduce themselves and connect all mentors and mentees virtually. They will report more PMS news and participants’ sharing in a fun and relaxing way, as well as capture inspiring moments throughout the PMS journey.

Apart from the kick-off session and individual meet-ups with mentors, mentees could also join the professional training workshops exclusively arranged for them to equip themselves for the workplace. This year’s first training session, “Professional Image and Business tiquette Workshop”, was organised in early March to enable students to learn about different business dressing styles, colour psychology, and the essential etiquettes in the business world. This could definitely help mentees enhance their image and presentation during interviews, while the networking skills they acquire from interacting with the mentors would help them communicate with colleagues and supervisors in the future. More workshops on different topics, such as the latest market trends and career preparation tips, will also be organised under the PMS. Online game sessions for mentors and mentees are on its way to enable everyone to have fun together even if they cannot meet physically amid the COVID situation.

We wish all mentors and mentees a fruitful and rewarding PMS experience in 2022.