Navigating this moment: The urgency of mentorship

应对当下：导师制的紧迫性

In today’s volatile educational landscape and rapidly evolving workforce, the journey from 'learner to life' is filled with milestones that present both challenges and opportunities. Each stage of a student’s journey—academic exploration, skill development, career preparation, and early professional success—requires thoughtful, strategic guidance and key durable (soft) skills to navigate effectively.

在当今动荡的教育环境和快速变化的劳动力市场中，"从学习者到社会人"的成长历程充满了充满挑战与机遇的里程碑。学生旅程的每个阶段——学术探索、技能培养、职业准备及早期职业成功——都需要深思熟虑的战略指导，以及驾驭这些阶段所需的关键持久（软）技能。

However, without these essential supports, learners often feel isolated and unprepared. "Students grapple with aligning their academic experiences with workforce expectations," reflects Erin Mayhood, CEO of Mentor Collective. "This leaves them unready for the realities of employment." Institutions also face hurdles, operating in silos that limit collaboration among key stakeholders such as student services, career offices, alumni networks, and corporate partnerships. As new graduates enter the workforce, these challenges persist.

然而，若缺乏这些必要支持，学习者常会感到孤立无援且准备不足。"学生们艰难调和学术经历与职场期望之间的落差，"Mentor Collective"首席执行官艾琳·梅胡德坦言，"这导致他们对接踵而至的职场现实措手不及。" 教育机构同样面临困境，各部门各自为政的运作模式阻碍了学生服务、职业发展办公室、校友网络与企业合作伙伴等关键利益相关方之间的协作。当新一届毕业生踏入职场时，这些挑战依然如影随形。

So, how can we address the complexities of the student lifecycle? The answer is mentorship. "Mentorship is essential for smoothing the challenges throughout the student lifecycle and propelling career-ready students directly into the workforce," says Mayhood. Mentorship fosters the quality of human connection that fills the gaps left by traditional policies and systems, providing stability and durable skill development that allow individuals to thrive during turbulent times.

那么，如何应对学生生命周期中的复杂挑战？答案在于导师制。"导师制能有效缓冲学生全周期发展中的多重挑战，并助推学业准备度高的学生无缝对接职场。"梅胡德强调。这种深度人际联结不仅填补了传统政策与制度体系的结构性缺位，更能通过持续的能力锻造，帮助个体在时代剧变中保持发展韧性。

Mentorship plays a critical role in developing durable skills—such as communication, critical thinking, and resilience—that are essential in today’s job market. In fact, an analysis of 80 million job postings from 2020 to 2021 shows that seven of the ten most requested skills are durable, indicating high demand for these soft skills across all sectors. This workforce demand underscores the importance for institutions to prioritize mentorship for their students, helping them become career-ready and future-ready for the challenges they will inevitably face in life.

导师制在培养持久技能方面发挥着关键作用——包括沟通能力、批判性思维和韧性等，这些技能是当今职场的关键要素。事实上，针对2020至2021年间8000万份职位发布的分析显示，十大最受追捧技能中有七项属于持久技能，这表明各行业对这类软技能存在强烈需求。这一劳动力市场需求凸显：教育机构必须将导师制列为学生成长的优先事项，帮助他们在职业发展与人生挑战中做好充分准备。

The impact of mentorship is measurable. Mentor Collective has delivered over 1,400 unique mentorship programs, established more than 180 institutional partnerships, and formed over 500,000 mentoring relationships—and that number continues to grow.

导师制的影响力具有可量化性。导师集体（Mentor Collective）已交付超过1,400个独特导师计划，建立超过180个机构合作伙伴关系，并促成超过50万对师徒关系——且这一数字仍在持续增长。

Here are a few remarkable outcomes from Mentor Collective partners:

以下是Mentor Collective合作伙伴取得的若干显著成果：

Retention Success: Students at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay demonstrated a 91% retention rate in mentorship programs compared to 68% of non-mentored peers.

留存成效：威斯康星大学格林湾分校数据显示，参与导师制项目的学生留存率达91%，相较未参与项目的同龄学生68%的留存率，优势显著。

Career Readiness: At UNC Greensboro, mentees accessed career resources 308% more frequently than their peers.

职业准备：北卡罗来纳大学格林斯伯勒分校数据显示，受导学生获取职业资源的频率较同龄学生高出308%。

Internship Opportunities: In partnership with a Fortune 100 technology company, 36% of mentees secured additional internships after participating in mentorship programs.

实习机会：与某财富100强科技公司合作项目中，36%的受导学生在参与导师制项目后获得额外实习机会。

When mentorship is implemented as a strategy to enhance the student journey throughout the entire lifecycle, it leads to significant, measurable impacts that support students in reaching their career goals. Institutions experience increased retention and better resource utilization, while learners’ aspirations align with real-world opportunities.

当导师制作为战略贯穿学生全生命周期发展时，其产生的显著可量化影响能有效助力学生实现职业目标。教育机构则实现留存率提升与资源利用率优化，同时学生发展目标与实际机遇达成精准对接。

And the truth is… meeting this moment is about more than just mentorship; it’s about empowering the future contributors to our society with the stability, resources, and human connections vital for success. By fostering meaningful relationships, learners can effectively navigate each milestone in their educational journey, equipped with durable skills and a clear understanding of their place in the world as they transition into their careers. Mentorship is the lifeline that bridges gaps and propels individuals into successful futures. It isn’t a ‘nice to have’—it’s a mission-critical advantage essential for transforming lives and strengthening our workforce. And it can illuminate the path to success for countless individuals, creating a lasting impact across our industry.

真正的破局之道在于——满足时代需求不仅依赖导师制，其本质在于赋能未来社会建设者，为其提供成功必备的稳定性、资源网络及人文联结。通过构建深度人际关系，学习者能有效驾驭教育历程中的每个里程碑，以持久技能武装自身，并在职业转型过程中明晰个人价值定位。导师制是弥合发展鸿沟的关键纽带，更是推动个体迈向成功的生命线。它绝非锦上添花的附加项，而是关乎生命质量提升与劳动力结构优化的关键战略优势。这种赋能机制能为无数个体照亮职业发展通途，在行业生态中创造代际传承的持久影响。

If your institution is considering mentorship at your institution, learn more by visiting Mentor Collective.

若贵校正在规划导师制项目，欢迎访问Mentor Collective获取实施方案