This whole process should be very simple: understand the professions the students would like to explore, invite professionals that match these interests and provide a safe space for them to have a meaningful conversation.

This framework below provides in detail clear steps, tools, and best practices to implement this mentorship program, making it productive for students, useful for schools, and rewarding for mentors. By following these guidelines, we can build a powerful experience that shapes young people’s futures, strengthens school-community ties, and leaves a lasting impact on everyone involved.

Step 1

Decide date and participants

1️⃣ Set a date for the event

When the event should be held at your school depends on your specific circumstances. We propose that it happens on the “Career Day” for different reasons:

• The school will be emptier, giving enough room to host private 1:1 conversations;
• Students will have to do something career related either way, so this is a great fit;
• Many senior high school students don’t seem enthusiastic about the day — this could be a more interesting option with real impact for them.

2️⃣ Decide which students will participate

Determine the scope of the event, since this will define the number of people involved — if you’re running it for the first time, we recommend not doing it with too many people (e.g.: just the 12th grade students).

You should offer the opportunity to participate to as many students as you can manage, however, it's important to note that the idea is that each students is offered 1 hour of 1:1 conversation with a professional in their area of interest, so having too many students could represent a logistical issue in sourcing the necessary professionals.

Step 2

Inviting students

1️⃣ Introducting the program to the students

• The homeroom teacher introduces the Career Talks program to students during class, highlighting that it will allow students to talk to mentors and ask plenty of questions;