July 24, 2009
Mentor Network Program
The Mentor Network Program aims to foster the development of closer links between the business and academic sector and to provide valuable networking opportunities for participating senior executives of the AmCham member companies.
Because of the critical importance of education to the long-term prosperity of the country, AmCham Czech Republic and the U.S. Embassy in the Czech Republic have started with the Mentor Network Program. This unique program enables top university students to interact with corporate executives of leading companies in the CR.
The main idea of the program comes from the Regional Business Council (RBC) in St. Louis, Missouri which has a mentoring program for students in higher education. Aiming to establish a long-term mentor-students relationship, the Mentor Network Program is helping to increase the number of highly qualified graduates who stay in the region and work for local companies.
There are two phases of implementation of the program.
The Mentor Network Program Reception constitutes the first phase. The reception provides an excellent opportunity for the first one-on-one contact of business representatives and students who engage in individual roundtable discussions. Each CEO spent approximately 45 minutes with groups of three to five students talking about their companies/industries, discussing opportunities for well-educated workers in the region, and answering students’ questions.
The second phase will focus on personal meetings between CEOs and students. Participating businesspersons from AmCham member companies will host the students for at least one meeting during the semester at their office, providing a company and industry overview, and advising and counseling on career-related topics, e.g. interviewing skills, resume development and business etiquette.
If you would like to join our initiative by hosting a one-on-one meeting with a student in your company, please confirm your interest at
mkopecna@amcham.cz.