Become a Career Discovery mentor

The program connects UNSW staff, alumni and industry professionals with current students to share their experience and insights. 

Applications are now open for the Term 3 2026 Career Discovery Mentoring Program. UNSW staff are invited to share their experience with current students as volunteer mentors.

If you’re also a UNSW graduate, you understand the transition from UNSW to the workplace firsthand. By sharing your career journey, regardless of where you studied, you’ll help students build confidence, explore career options, and navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with starting their professional lives.

You don’t need to have all the answers to be a great mentor. The program welcomes professionals with two or more years’ experience from all industries and career stages. What matters most is a willingness to listen, share your experiences and encourage students as they discover what’s next.

What does mentoring involve?

The Career Discovery Mentoring Program connects mentors with up to two students for one-to-one mentoring over eight weeks, with a total commitment of around five hours. 

Meetings can take place online or in person, and mentors receive training and resources to support them throughout the program. Upon completing the program, mentors receive a UNSW-certified digital badge that can be added to their LinkedIn profile.

Why become a mentor?

Mentoring is an opportunity to:

• help students explore career pathways and build confidence
• reflect on your own career journey and develop your leadership skills
• connect with the next generation of UNSW graduates
• give back to the UNSW community in a meaningful way.

Adry Awan is a Project Manager for Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Success, a UNSW alumnus and a current mentor in the program. 

“What first inspired me to become a UNSW alumni mentor was the recognition that so much of my personal and professional development came from friends, colleagues or managers who generously shared their experiences and advice and helped me navigate key decisions in my life and career,” he says. 

Fellow alumni mentor Gabriella Martini, who is Founder & CEO of Aventa Solutions, says, “The most important qualities of a mentor are not expertise or seniority. They’re curiosity, empathy and a willingness to invest time in helping someone else grow.”

Whether you’re professional staff member, academic or researcher, your experiences could help a student see new possibilities for their future.

Apply to become a mentor for Term 3 2026.