What happens when experienced professionals invest in the next generation of technology leaders?

For emerging technology professionals, navigating a career can come with plenty of questions. What skills should I develop? How do I communicate with confidence? Where could my career take me? And how do I turn my goals into a plan?

Sometimes, having someone who has already walked the path can make all the difference.

The ACS Canberra Mentoring Program brings together experienced technology professionals and emerging members to create space for those conversations. Through regular guidance, honest feedback and shared experience, mentors help mentees build the confidence, skills and perspective to take their next steps.

Recently, ACS Canberra celebrated the graduation of its latest cohort, recognising the achievements of mentees and the commitment of the mentors who supported them throughout the program.

Turning experience into confidence

For many mentees, the value of mentoring went well beyond improving a CV.

One participant described the program as a “valuable and rewarding experience”, highlighting the impact of their mentor’s “practical guidance, constructive feedback, and encouragement” in helping them gain greater confidence and clarity.

Others spoke about developing stronger communication skills, gaining a deeper understanding of the ICT industry and becoming more confident in their professional abilities.

For one mentee, the experience was “far more transformative” than expected. What began as an opportunity to improve their CV evolved into a journey of self-discovery, helping them develop a clear three-to-five-year career vision, identify multiple job opportunities and gain the confidence to apply for roles they had previously considered too high for them.

“Most importantly, the program taught me that career success starts from within,” the participant reflected, describing the frameworks they gained as “not just career tools” but “life tools” they would carry with them beyond the program.

For another mentee, having an experienced mentor who could understand where they were in their journey made a significant difference.

“Having someone to witness my growth and encourage me along the way has been incredibly meaningful,” they shared.

These experiences highlight one of the most powerful aspects of mentoring: sometimes progress begins with having someone else help you see what you are capable of.

A broader view of what’s possible

Mentoring can also open doors to possibilities that may not have been obvious before.

For mentees navigating their studies or early careers, conversations with experienced professionals provided insight into different career pathways, emerging technologies and the realities of working in ICT.

One participant studying cybersecurity said their mentor helped them “progress smartly and strategically”, providing practical advice on university subject selections, career priorities and potential opportunities beyond Australia.

Their mentor also helped broaden their horizons by exploring global IT career pathways across regions including Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East.

For another mentee, mentoring provided a new perspective on their future career.

“The mentoring program has helped me a lot to see my new found career in a different perspective,” they said, adding that they would not have realised this direction without the “proper guidance” of their mentor.

These conversations demonstrate that mentoring isn’t about providing a single roadmap. It is about helping people broaden their view of what might be possible, then giving them the confidence and tools to pursue it.

The learning goes both ways

While the benefits for mentees are clear, our mentors told us that they gained just as much from the experience.

One mentor reflected that mentoring is often assumed to be a one-way transfer of knowledge. Instead, they found themselves “learning as much as I gave”.

The experience encouraged them to reflect on their own career journey, consider emerging technologies from a fresh perspective and remember what it is like to navigate the different stages of a career in ICT.

Another mentor described the program as a rewarding opportunity to share knowledge and insights with emerging IT professionals, while also gaining “new perspectives that enriched my own professional journey”.

For some mentors, the experience was also about developing their ability to listen and understand what someone else needs.

“As a mentor in the ACS’s Mentoring Program I learnt to listen, to have a conversation with someone that need and help them,” one participant reflected.

That exchange is at the heart of a strong mentoring relationship. Experience is shared, but so are questions, perspectives and new ways of thinking.

Building a stronger ICT community

The impact of the ACS Canberra Mentoring Program extends beyond individual mentor-mentee relationships.

It creates opportunities for members at different stages of their careers to connect, learn from one another and build a stronger professional community.

For mentees, that can mean greater confidence, clearer career goals and practical tools for navigating the technology industry.

For mentors, it can mean the opportunity to give back, develop their own mentoring skills and gain fresh perspectives from the next generation of ICT professionals.

As one mentor reflected, “it’s a small investment with a real impact.”

That spirit was evident as ACS Canberra celebrated the latest graduates and welcomed the next cohort of participants. Their experiences reinforce why creating connections between emerging and experienced professionals matters.

Because when the technology community invests in its people, the benefits don’t stop with one career.

Congratulations to our latest ACS Canberra Mentoring Program graduates, and a sincere thank you to every mentor who shared their time, knowledge and encouragement.

We look forward to seeing where the next cohort takes their careers, and what they will bring back to the ICT community along the way.