Mentee Becomes Mentor
The Path from Mentee to Mentor
Christian Almeida has been supported by some incredible mentors throughout his career, something he says has been of enormous benefit to him in his journey to become Senior Financial Analyst at global technology leader, Cummins South Pacific. So, when the opportunity arose to become a mentor himself, through Australian Network on Disability’s PACE program, Christian jumped at the chance.
PACE Mentoring
Australian Network on Disability’s Positive Action towards Career Engagement, or PACE Mentoring, connects jobseekers with disability to mentors from leading Australian businesses. The purpose of PACE is two-fold: to improve employability for job seekers and students with disability, as well as to increase disability confidence in employees and mentors.
Christian was matched with student Benjamin Lung who was looking to learn more about how the finance function operates in large companies, as well as how to tackle interview situations, in preparation for when he completes his studies and begins his job search.
The pair immediately hit if off. At first, they used a questions and agenda sheet provided by the PACE team, but soon they were running their own race.
“After a couple of meetings, Benjamin had plenty of questions as well as some real-life scenarios to discuss,” said Christian.
“My mentor guided me in how to lead a team, giving me advice on how to negotiate and get the best outcomes,” said Benjamin. “I used my learnings in a group assignment at university where I was nominated leader, and we got full marks! It was great to be able to put his advice in to action and enjoy the rewards.”