Application Deadline

Applications are now closed. Check back September 2026.

Want to be a Mentor?

Employees & Partners

Choose your path

Two Ways to Grow with Mentorship

Moving from the classroom to a full-time career is a significant transition. This four-month stream pairs you with an industry professional to help you define your goals, gain insider perspectives on your field, and build the confidence required to land your first role. It’s your path to industry readiness.

Ready to move from a concept to a company? This five-month stream connects you with a seasoned founder to help you validate your business model and set strategic milestones. It’s the ideal environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to gain professional feedback and lead their own venture with confidence.

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Grow with Career Mentorship

The BCITSA Mentorship Program bridges the gap between academic learning and professional practice by connecting motivated students with industry leaders for meaningful, goal-oriented mentorship.

Why Join the Program

  • Personalized Mentoring: Talk through your specific goals with someone who’s been in your shoes.
  • Real Industry Insights: Get honest advice and “day-in-the-life” perspectives you won’t find in a textbook.
  • Stronger Connections: Grow your network and lose the “imposter syndrome” before you graduate.
  • Real Progress: Set meaningful goals and have someone there to make sure you actually reach them.

Who Can Apply:

  • Student Status: Open to current full-time or Flexible Learning students who have completed at least one term.
  • Academic Timing: You are entering your final year or final term of study.
  • Alumni: 2025 graduates are eligible to apply, though priority is given to current students.
  • Commitment: Applicants must be prepared to lead the relationship and attend all scheduled meetings.

Is this a good fit for you?

Mentorship isn’t a passive experience, it’s for students who are ready to take the driver’s seat. You’ll get the most out of this if you already have a career goal in mind and aren’t afraid to ask the tough questions that help you grow.

A few extra things to remember:

  • Own the process: You’ll be the one reaching out and setting the agenda.
  • Be specific: Have a few clear goals or skills you want to work on.
  • No “Job Guarantee”: Your mentor is a guide for your career, not a recruiter.
  • Availability: We do our best to find a match, but it depends on which industry pros are signed up.

A note for Co-op students: To get the most out of mentorship, we ask that you apply after completing your co-op. This ensures your mentorship aligns with your return to full-time studies and your final career push.

  • Time Commitment: Engage in at least one hour of mentoring per month over the four-month program.
  • Take the Lead: This is a mentee-driven experience. You are responsible for reaching out, scheduling meetings, and providing a clear agenda for every session.
  • Goal Setting: Collaborate with your mentor to establish and track three SMART goals to tackle throughout the term.
  • Progress Tracking: Stay on track by submitting brief monthly reports to the BCITSA mentorship team.
  • Apply Online: Fill out the initial application form to tell us about your goals.
  • Learn More: Complete a brief Online Information Session to understand the program’s full scope.
  • Connect with Us: Schedule and attend a short interview with our team.
  • Final Match: We’ll review your application and let you know if a suitable mentor match is available.
Apply Today!

Grow Your Startup Idea

Stop guessing what comes next for your business. This five-month stream connects you with a seasoned entrepreneur who has already navigated the hurdles you’re facing. You’ll get a dedicated sounding board to help you stress-test your plans and set milestones that actually move the needle.

Whether you’re validating a new concept or ready to scale, we provide the mentorship you need to transform your idea into a viable startup. Discover our specialized entrepreneur support and see how to take the next step.

Launch Your Journey

Inspire the Next Generation

Help bridge the gap between education and industry. By becoming a mentor, you provide a student with the real-world clarity they need to succeed in your field. Whether you’re sharing fresh ideas or helping them refine their professional goals, your mentorship provides an invaluable foundation for their future.

Commitment is straightforward: you’ll connect with your mentee for just one to two hours a month over a three-month term. Since students are responsible for the meeting agendas and scheduling, you can focus entirely on providing the advice and support that helps them grow.

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FAQs

Common Questions Answered

Still have questions about our mentorship streams? Review these common answers to find what you need. For more specific inquiries, please reach out to us at info@bcitsa.ca.

Your mentee is the one leading the relationship. They will be in contact with you to schedule all meetings and will include an agenda for the meeting. The two of you will decide where it’s best to meet. We suggest having a conversation about this in your first meeting. Be sure to meet somewhere that is convenient for both of you.

The best time to apply is when you are 1 year out from graduating your studies. Currently, you are likely active in your job and career search and ready to use the benefits of mentorship. Mentees are expected to be proactive and lead this relationship and be ready to act on the suggestions from their mentor. If you are just starting out in your studies, you may not be ready to engage in job/career search activities just yet.

With that being said, first year students may benefit as well, during their second term (we require students to have at least 1 term completed). The student must feel confident that they are ready for mentorship and begin actively participating in their career search.

If you are studying part time while working part or full time, we ask that you consider the time and work commitment the mentorship program asks. If you are confident that you can commit to adding more activities to your personal schedule and that you’ll be able to manage your time and commitments well, this may be a good fit for you.

Overall, we want you to make the most use out of your meetings with your mentor. Being ready is key.

We make matches based on BCIT school and program area, as well as industry. We also look at personality traits and who we think would work best together. Mentor availability is also key.

Our mentors are volunteers from the community. Most of them are BCIT alumni, however we do have some that are not. They are all educated and experienced in their field and looking to give back. When asked why they want to mentor with us, they either say:

  1. they had a mentor help them in their career search and now they want to do the same for someone else, or
  2. they didn’t have a mentor and wish they had.

Mentees will bring with them at least 3 goals they want to work on with their mentor. This could include exploring the industry, expanding industry knowledge, improve networking skills, create a portfolio or update resume and cover letter to name a few. During mentee training, staff will ensure all mentees have goals in mind to work on with their mentor based on the SMART goals criteria.

(SMART = Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timely)

No. Students can only participate in the program once during their studies, even if they decide to change programs. The best time for you to participate is when you are ready to commit, clear on your career goals, active in your job and career search and know what you want to work on with your mentor.

The purpose of the interview is for us to get to know you and your goals in order to identify if you are ready for the program. By understanding what you hope to get out of mentorship, we can see if we have a mentor available that would be a good fit to help you reach your goals.

We will ask about yourself (past work experiences, education, training), your career goals, why you want to be matched with a mentor, and what your preferences for a mentor are.

Approach this interview as if it is a job interview: prepare and be professional in your dress and conduct.

Yes. Things change with time, even if it’s only a few months! If you will still be a student and meet with required program criteria, re-apply by using the online application form on our website for the next term you wish to be considered for.

Yes and no.

We encourage all matches to stay in touch after their time in the program comes to an end, however it is up to each individual mentor and mentee pair. Many mentorship matches build a long-lasting professional relationship with some deciding to continue their mentorship relationship informally after the program ends. Others have become close professional contacts or even friends.

Matches are unable to continue in the program formally after the end of the term.

In the career mentorship stream, BCIT students are matched with industry professionals in their field to get insights, guidance and support in career development and work-life balance, while preparing for the work world after graduation.

In the entrepreneurial mentorship stream, BCIT students and recent alumni who are new or aspiring entrepreneurs are matched with experienced entrepreneurs in industry that provide them with support, act as sounding boards and share experiences that guide them through the entrepreneurial process.

To apply to be a mentee in the career mentorship program, you must be a full or part time BCIT student in a declared program with at least the first term completed.

Alumni can be involved in the program as mentors. Please see here for more information on becoming a career mentorship mentor.

Note: The entrepreneurship stream accepts alumnus mentees.

Ready to Connect?

Need personalized guidance on your career path or business idea? Reach out to our team today—we’re here to help.

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