Mentorship program 2024
Riga TechGirls mentorship program brings together tech professionals eager to impart their knowledge and experience to support women in the early stages of their tech careers.
This 6-month program allows mentees to engage in practical projects and work one-on-one with their designated mentors. It’s a nurturing environment where participants can grow alongside like-minded individuals. The program operates in a hybrid mode: some activities take place online, while others are in-person. However, if you’re unable to attend the in-person events, rest assured we’ll offer recordings or the option to join remotely.
Applications are closed!
NB! This season, the mentorship program will have a symbolic fee of 33 EUR/month for mentees.
Want to become a mentor?
Mentoring is a relationship between two people with the goal of professional and personal development. This is an opportunity for you to grow together with your mentees and an amazing mentor community!
- 1:1 mentors (1-2 hours per week)
- Practice project mentors: These are project leads who guide the newly-formed team towards project delivery. They share best practices for effective project teamwork, help establish clear roles and responsibilities, set communication frameworks and work methods, and are willing to commit an average of 2-5 hours per week.
- Buddy: An expert available for on-demand calls
How many mentees should you have?
While there’s no set limit, we recommend that new mentors begin with just one mentee. Nevertheless, some mentors take on 2 or more mentees. Ultimately, the number should align with your capacity to offer quality mentoring, which typically requires about 1-2 hours per mentee each week.
- Have several years of experience in your respective field
- Be prepared to commit to 1:1 mentoring, requiring an average of 1-2 hours per week per mentee
- If you choose to lead a practice project team in addition to 1:1 mentoring, the commitment would be around 3-5 hours per week on average
- Be available for a 6-month duration to help mentees set goals and accomplish tasks
- Foster open communication and provide constructive feedback
- Demonstrate empathy and attentiveness to the mentees’ needs and situations
- Embrace the value of diversity
- Be open to personal growth and development as a mentor
- You will become a valued member of the RTG community, dedicated to empowering women and aiding mentees in their growth journey. You’ll play a crucial role in encouraging them to embrace new learning experiences
- Supervision opportunities for mentors aiming to enhance their professional mentoring skills
- Access to a supportive environment and structured mentoring framework, allowing you to practice and refine your leadership and mentoring abilities
- The chance to expand your network through interactions with local and international mentors who share an interest in technology
- Potential connections with prospective employees or team members, broadening your horizons
Want to become a mentee?
If you are looking for a supportive environment to plan your career path, gain practical hands-on experience, and receive guidance from a mentor, then the mentorship program is for you.
- Support from a local or international mentor
- Opportunity to network and form working groups with other participants of the program.
- An environment to grow, advance, and broaden your skills and knowledge
- Gain new practical skills in a specific tech field by working on team practice projects, culminating in a real project to include in your portfolio
- Engage in hands-on experience with practice projects. Over approximately 5 months, immerse yourself in real-life (or near-real-life) IT projects. Practice skills you’ve acquired in your chosen track, experience IT team dynamics, and adopt the ‘learn-by-doing’ approach throughout the project life cycle. You’ll be guided and supported by a team mentor and a subject matter expert
- Receive personalized 1:1 support from dedicated mentors
- Benefit from guidance offered by tech and career experts
- Participate in monthly sessions to exchange experiences with fellow participants, and meet industry experts and role models
- Enjoy monthly outdoor activities alongside the RTG core team, mentors, and fellow mentees
- Attend seminars and workshops in collaboration with RTG partners
- Thrive in a nurturing environment surrounded by like-minded women, fostering personal and professional growth
- The program is available to any woman with no age limitations
- Determination and ambition to finish what you have committed to
- Being ready to devote an average of 10 hours per week (1:1 mentoring + practice project work) (participation in the practice project is mandatory)
- Having taken some first steps in your chosen tech role (courses, seminars, books, self-learning activities) that you can prove
- Having at least a B1 level of English
- Having an existing LinkedIn profile
- The assessment will be carried out by a special working group in collaboration with mentors
- Submit your application by September 15th
- Keep cool and look forward to hearing the decision by November 30th
- Sign an agreement and finalize the payment by submitting the participation fee of 198 Euros* (each month 33 Euros) for the 6-month program, and we will provide you with the onboarding details for the program. *The payment can be split into 6 payments
- 6 months of full access to the mentorship program’s platform and all program’s activities (Practice Projects, monthly meetups, hikes, coffee time, in person events, networking extra sessions)
- Gain practical experience in the practice projects
- In average 10 hours per week (1:1 mentoring + PP)
- Certificate of Completion
- Access to Riga TechGirls Alumni Club
A huge thank you to numerous partners who have assisted us in constructing and ensuring the affordability of this program!
Practice projects
Practice projects aim to offer mentees an opportunity to showcase their abilities in real-life (or near-real-life) IT projects. They can apply their previously acquired skills within their chosen track, experience the dynamics of an IT team, and immerse themselves in the specifics of teamwork. The essence is ‘learning-by-doing’ throughout the project’s life cycle. Each team, guided and supported by a mentor and a subject matter expert, will have approximately 5 months to work on the project.
The primary goal of practice projects is to help women gain more practical experience, better preparing them for the demands of the employment market.
- Gain practical skills in your chosen track/role by collaborating in an IT project team.
- Experience and participate in the entire life-cycle of an IT project.
- If successful, add a completed project to your portfolio.
- An opportunity to network and connect with individuals who can bolster your professional growth and enhance career opportunities.
- Gain experience by mentoring a team of motivated mentees, contributing to their professional growth and path.
- Develop your mentorship skills with the guidance of industry experts.
- Engage in meaningful projects that make a positive impact.
- Identify potential junior-level specialists for your own team.
- Increase brand awareness among potential customers.
What we expect from a mentee?
- Determination and ambition to complete what you’ve committed to.
- You’ve taken initial steps in your chosen tech role, including courses, seminars, books, and other self-learning activities.
- Be prepared to dedicate, on average, 10 hours per week, including 1:1 mentoring.
What we expect from a mentor?
- Lead the newly formed team towards successful project delivery.
- Share your best practices for effective project teamwork: assist in establishing clear roles and responsibilities, communication frameworks, and work methods.
- Remain available to the team, especially during the initial phases of the Practice Projects, dedicating 2-5 hours per week.
- Evaluate and provide feedback to both the mentees and the RTG team regarding the project’s progress.
What we expect from a group of experts (professionals in specific tech field)?
- Support project teams in areas aligned with your subject matter expertise.
- Attend project team meetings upon request, provided notice is given in advance.
- Share your knowledge and expertise when approached by project teams with questions relevant to your field.
mentorship@rigatechgirls.com
Riga TechGirls is committed to ensuring the security and protection of the personal information that we process, and to provide a compliant and consistent approach to data protection. The data will be used only for the Riga TechGirls mentorship program.