Program accelerates career progression for wing airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mark Thompson
  • 916th Public Affairs Office
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Looking for a mentor but short on time and not quite sure how to get started? A program hosted recently by the 916th Air Refueling Wing's Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) hopes to quickly help those looking for career guidance through an innovative approach adapted from the speed dating world.

It's called speed mentoring. Rather than the traditional method of finding a mentor through workplace relationships, speed mentoring exposes participants to numerous mentors in an orderly version of what could be mistaken as musical chairs. Mentors include senior officer and enlisted members of the wing.

"One of the things that we find in our climate assessments is that a lot of people don't have mentors in the Air Force," said Capt. Craig Stokes, vice chairman of the HRDC. "They don't have anyone they can go to or feel comfortable going to."

To keep the speed mentoring process efficient and relaxed, mentors stay seated while participants rotate through with questions every five minutes. This results in all attendees having an opportunity to sit down with all mentors.

To spark a quick conversation, mentees draw pre-written cards with questions on them. "This helps keep the process moving and removes some of the stress related to developing creative questions," said Stokes.

The question cards are divided into four categories: messages, opportunities, journey and challenges. Questions touched on things like what mentors wished they'd known earlier in their careers, what people affected their career journey, and what professional networks they belonged to and why.

A goal of the program is to initiate a rapport with a mentor that could continue outside of the program. "Participants also benefit from getting out of their comfort zone and speaking to someone that they may not normally speak with."

Participants had an opportunity to speak to numerous wing leaders including, 916th Vice Commander Col. Craig Shenkenberg, 916th Aerospace Medical Squadron Commander Col. Eduardo San Miguel, 916th Wing Inspector General Lt. Col. Janette Thode, 916th Command Chief Master Sergeant James Loper, Chief Master Sgt. Tony Paris from the 916th Operations Group and 567th Red Horse Squadron First Sergeant Senior Master Sgt. Ralph France.

Because of its popularity, HRDC plans to host speed mentoring up to four times a year.