IRSQ Mentoring Program 2025 (Applications Open Soon!)

WHAT IS IT?

The Society’s Mentoring Program provides an opportunity for people with extensive experience in the field of industrial relations (or a related area such as human resource management or employment law) to mentor people who:

•    want to commence a career in industrial relations;
•   are in the early stages of their career in industrial relations;
•   would like to transition into a different area within the field of industrial relations;
•   are looking to re-enter the workforce or increase their participation in the workforce in the field of industrial relations; or
•   are an established practitioner in industrial relations with a desire to take their career to the next level.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

MENTORS AND MENTEES

To apply to be a mentee you must be a financial member of the Society. Mentees must complete the mentee application (link to register available soon). Completing the application does not guarantee a spot in the program. 

Mentees may be, for example:

•   undergraduate students;
•   post-graduate students with limited IR work experience;
•   recent graduates;
•   people looking to transition from one area of work to another, such as from a law firm to an in house role, or from working as an  associate  in the FWC to becoming a union official; 
•   parents returning from work after a career break or looking to increase their hours of work; or
•   an industrial relations professional who is looking to build on their existing experience.

The Society is seeking highly experienced people  from across a range of sectors in the industrial relations field including academics, government, unions, employer associations, lawyers, and consultants who would be willing to be  mentors. (Link to register available soon)

LENGTH OF PROGRAM

The Mentoring Program will run for 6 months from September 2025.

Mentors and mentees are free to agree to extend the mentoring relationship beyond the end of the program. Continuation of the relationship will be a private arrangement between the mentor and mentee.

CONNECTING MENTORS AND MENTEES

The Society will review mentee applications after the closing date. Offers to participate in the Mentoring Program are at the sole discretion of the Society and will be based on need, potential matches with available mentors, and to ensure a mix of membership sectors. 

All participants will be asked to agree to and abide by the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is available here: Code of Conduct.

On their first meeting, Mentors and Mentees are asked to discuss and agree on a Mentoring Agreement using the Society's template agreement as a base. A copy of the template agreement is available here: Mentoring Agreement. 

TRAINING AND SUPPORT

Once they have been accepted into the program, mentors and mentees are required to participate in online training provided through ‘The Art of Mentoring’.

The Society will check-in the with participants, by email, survey and/or phone call through the process. The purpose of the check-in is to ensure that the mentee is benefiting from the arrangement, that the mentor continues to have the time available to dedicate to the program and to check that they are on track to meet the goals they set.

LAUNCH EVENT

A launch and networking event for the program will be held (date/time to be confirmed). Mentors and mentees are strongly encouraged to attend and participate.