Mentor/Supervisor Responsibilities

Internships arranged by the BEIIP are mentored by a member of the company’s organization directly involved in the student’s work. The mentor works with the student intern to ensure that expectations are shared, and that the intern has the knowledge and skills needed to perform as expected.

In the planning phase, the mentor is aware of:

• The knowledge and skills the intern brings with him or her
• The learning goals of the intern
• The feasibility of planned projects (they must be able to be completed within the time frame of the internship)
• The intern's need for feedback - recognition of things done well, and assistance in performing better
• The intern's need to know who to contact in the organization if there are any questions or problems

During the internship, the mentor must:

• Make sure the intern is oriented to the organization, and any particular policies and practices (dress code, for example)
• Ensure that the intern has meaningful work to do that will help her or him reach the identified learning goals
• Oversee the intern's performance
• Plan and arrange for regular supervision
• Participate in the mid-internship evaluation of the intern's performance (facilitated by phone call or email from the BEIIP)
• Complete the final written evaluation of the intern's performance, and forward it to the BEIIP