FAQs
Mentors/Volunteer - FAQs
The ACE Mentor Program is made up of affiliates. Each affiliate serves high school youth within a certain region or city.
Each affiliate can have a number of teams. A mentoring team is organized similar to a project team: it will typically include an owner firm, an architectural or design firm, engineering firms representing several specialties, a construction manager, a general contractor, sub-contractors and skilled craft workers. This team is then matched with a team of students. The number of student teams an area may have is determined by the number of mentor teams in place.
Each team will have a lead firm. The mentors on the lead firm will be responsible for scheduling meetings and coordinating activities.
Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful, positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations.
Mentors can develop leadership skills and gain a personal sense of satisfaction from knowing that they’ve helped someone. Students can expand their knowledge and skills, gain valuable advice from a more experienced person, and build their professional networks.
By preparing young people for college and careers, mentoring helps develop talent for the future workforce.
There are several types of activities that take place during the season.
- Registration events
- Mentoring sessions with the students where they are introduced to a segment of the industry and complete activities
- College nights
- Field Trips
- Special speaker presentations
- Project development – each team must conceptualize, design, and create a project
- Final presentations – student from each team gather together to present their projects to each other, parents, teachers, and industry leaders
- Scholarships presentation events
Mentors are dedicated professionals who are passionate about what they do and want to share that with the next generation of the industry’s workforce. Ideal qualities for a mentor are enthusiasm and the ability to develop a rapport with the students.
Young mentors often can relate to the students more readily, but mentors of all ages have been very successful. Also, the closer the diversity of the mentors matches that of the students, the easier it will be to form strong relationships.
Besides feeding the pipeline with the next generation of construction industry workforce, your company will benefit from its involvement with ACE.
The program:
- Enhances your company image, within the industry and also the community
- Provides networking opportunities, for both mentors and principals
- Connects your firm to talented and motivated part-time help and to potential future employees
- Enhances young professionals presentation and communication skills
- Creates an opportunity to “give back” to your community and to your industry
ACE has local affiliate programs all over the country. Find a program near you to learn about volunteer opportunities in your community.
Once you’ve determined that your local ACE affiliate is accepting applications, you can complete the online registration and training. Local program leaders will be in touch with you.
If you have any questions, please email our national office.