Thursday 17th December 2009

For the past three years, employees of Diageo have worked with the Transition Year student group in Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount, delivering a mentoring programme which aims to expand student’s awareness of the workplace, promoting self-esteem a

Pictured above Students from Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount, attending the launch of the mentoring programme in DIAGEO, November 2009

nd encouraging students to maximize the opportunities available through education.

As the programme operates on a same-gender basis, female employees are matched with a student from the school, meeting for an hour every three weeks to explore and discuss different career options. With the help of their mentors, students decide to investigate one career in detail.

The mentors facilitate and arrange a visit for both mentor and student to meet and interview a person who works in this career. Subsequent meetings focus on preparing a PowerPoint presentation to represent the key learning from the visit, which is then delivered by each mentor/student partnership at a ceremony held in The Guinness Storehouse near the end of the programme.

The parents of all participating students are invited to this wonderful event which highlights the range of careers explored and acknowledges the enjoyment and evidence of the wider impact of involvement in the mentoring programme.

Since its inception, the mentoring programme has continued to grow in strength and this year alone, over 40 students applied for 9 available places.

All candidates who applied were interviewed and the successful students met with their mentors for the first time on Friday, 13th November 2009 where they enjoyed breakfast in the Guinness Storehouse.

All were delighted to have been given the opportunity to have their very own mentor to guide them through this year of exploration.