• WHO: Open to professionals at junior, mid, and advanced career levels who seek career mobility and inclusion in management and leadership pipelines. 
• • Everyone is encouraged to apply.
  • AAPA will not discriminate due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and veteran or disability status.
• WHAT: A 12-month program that provides diverse professionals with one-on-one mentoring and leadership training, and networking opportunities for career advancement.     
• WHEN: Program runs from January to December each year
• WHERE: Events will be held at Rosemead and Pasadena, CA

• The application period is open November to January each year.
• Early Bird fee: $250 (applications received before February 14, 2020)
• Regular fee: $500 (applications received after February 14, 2020)

Applications are now being accepted.

1. IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS: Understand what you want to get out of the program. Developing clear goals and objectives at the beginning will set you up for greater success. We also encourage each of you to share your professional development goals and initiatives with your manager. Take the opportunity to share how your professional development and growth will benefit the company. Your manager may even consider sponsoring your AAPA training.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH: Conduct your research on the program, attend a few events, talk to mentors, mentees, and alumni, and review the mentor bios.

3: APPLY: Be as detailed and specific as possible in your application. Mentors want to know that you are committed to developing yourself, committed to the mentoring relationship, and if accepted, that you will be committed to making the most out of the program.

4. PARTICIPATE IN A Q&A SESSION:  Speak to an AAPA Mentor and have the opportunity to share your purpose, potential, and provide examples.  You will be asked questions related to the following: 1) your capacity to learn from your own mistakes and apply lessons to the future, 2) your capacity to think strategically from an organizational perspective, especially when dealing with complex situations, and 3) your commitment and motivation to actively manage and plan your career, stretch yourself, and seek out opportunities.

[By the end of January, we will notify all candidates of admission decisions for the program. Payment will be due within two to three weeks after.]

• Mentees review mentors’ bios on the AAPA website and/or meet the mentors at the January Introductory Session.
• During a one-week period in February, you will be prompted to select your top three Mentor preferences through the AAPA membership portal.
• Mentees submit their request for their top three mentor preferences. The mentees’ first mentor preference will be given a matching priority. If the mentee does not indicate any preferences, a mentor will be assigned.
• The mentors will also review the mentees’ applications and resumes, and select their top three mentee preferences.
• Mentees will be matched with a mentor based on goals, interests, industry preference, mentors’ background, experience, and availability.

• Mentees initiate the one-on-one partnership by contacting their mentor to schedule their first meeting (as well as ongoing meetings).
• Mentor and mentee pairs should meet at least once every month or every two months to share goal progress and other coaching activities.
• The mentor and mentee pair will discuss and negotiate a schedule for meetings that are convenient to both parties, as well as jointly set goals for the year.
• At the end of the program year, the mentor and mentee pair should complete an assessment of the goals, action plan, accomplishments, relationship, and the mentor matching program.

A successful relationship requires proactive efforts on the part of the mentee and mentor. Finding a mentor is only the beginning. This guide will be a starting block to develop an effective mentee and mentor relationship.

The goal of the AAPA formal mentor matching program is to establish an effective and results-oriented one-on-one mentoring relationship between mentors and mentees. This program is voluntary. The matched mentee and mentor will establish specific and achievable goal(s) and an action plan on goal setting, career development, etc. The mentee and mentor should meet regularly to work on achieving these goals.

At the end of the program year, the mentee and mentor pair should evaluate the accomplishments and the mentoring relationship. The official duration of the mentoring relationship is the current calendar year. It is up to the mentor and the mentee to extend the duration beyond the official time period. While the mentee is paired with one mentor for the duration of the year, the mentee is also free to speak to any of the AAPA mentors at any events throughout the year.

As a mentee:

• You are the achiever willing to take the initiative for your own development and make the most of available learning opportunities.
• You are the “gauge” to measure how interactive and successful your mentoring experience will be.
• You decide upon the amount of help and guidance you need.
• You identify the skills and competencies you wish to gain and assume the initiative to ask for the help or guidance to achieve your goals.
• You are responsible for devoting your time to the mentoring relationship with on-going interaction with your mentor.
• Mentoring is a journey mentors and mentees embark on together and both have a responsibility to create a committed, mutually beneficial relationship.
• You and your mentor will help each other arrive at a common destination to achieve professional excellence.
• A mentor and mentee form an interactive relationship that starts with building basic elements of understanding and trust. As the relationship continues, it involves establishing purposes and goals.

To graduate from the AAPA Mentorship Program (and receive your completion certificate), you will need to fulfill the following program requirements:

• One-On-One Mentoring: Regularly participate in One-on-One Mentoring, meet and connect with your mentor at a minimum of once every quarter. We highly encourage all mentees to meet and connect with their mentors once every month or every two months to provide updates and feedback, and develop the mentoring relationship.
• Event Attendance: Attend two out of three Learning Hubs AND two out of three Workshops. However, we highly encourage mentees to participate in all the Learning Hubs AND Workshops, as well as additional mentoring and networking activities, as they provide valuable career advancement strategies and skills.
• Volunteer: Apply your leadership skills as an AAPA Volunteer. Help lead a minimum of two (2) AAPA events, which may include the Introductory Session, Learning Hubs #1-3, Workshops #1-3 or the Leadership Symposium.