Organizations are continuing to recognize the business value of implementing mentoring programs and mentoring cultures in their organizations. Successful implementation is driven by providing participants with the tools to be successful as effective mentors. As a result of this business need, the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) of Ontario and TalentC® – People Services Inc. have formed a Strategic Partnership to begin offering the Certified Mentor Practitioner designation (CMP), beginning with delivery of the International Certification for Mentoring, Level 1, training course on Thursday November 14th, 2013.

Human resources solution provider TalentC® and mentoring software innovator MentorCity have established a strategic alliance built on a mutual passion to leverage the power of mentoring to assist organizations and their members to grow personally and professionally. Both Canadian companies have been active in the global marketplace, promoting mentoring as a potent solution to the challenges faced by organizations, including: improving employee engagement and retention, identifying training needs, sustainable and ongoing skill development, strengthening teamwork and co-operation across departments and regions, and enhancing diversity at the leadership level. And at the forefront, they are also advocating organizational mentoring to turn the looming boomer brain-drain into added value for companies and individuals … to turn a global problem into a global solution where everybody wins. TalentC® has been focused on harnessing that knowledge and experience through proprietary programs of organizational succession development and accredited mentoring solutions. They help client organizations worldwide ensure successors have the tools for roles of greater responsibility, and that the company retains and grows the benefit of their talent investment. TalentC®’s accredited mentor training curriculum and International Certification for Mentors (ICM) are International Standards Organization (ISO) compliant. MentorCityis an online mentoring platform which connects an organization’s members to meaningful learning relationships, automates and refines the mentor-mentee matching process, and enhances the relationship-building and results with embedded best-practice mentoring tips and guidance. The software creates a structured and informed universe to support participants, and provides the organization with valuable feedback and the tools to drive a vibrant and sustainable mentoring culture. The partnering of TalentC®‘s powerful mentorship programs and training with MentorCity’s robust online platform will empower both companies to bring even more value to their clients worldwide … and help create a world where everyone has access to a mentor!

Want to enhance your HR department’s status, save on budget and simultaneously create happy staff? The answer may lie in one concept: Mentoring. With the advent of new software technologies as well as a philosophical shift in how employees can be valued for their long-term contributions, the idea of mentoring is gaining traction in both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. It’s an idea whose time may have come, in a big way.

Mentors aren’t supposed to be Sherpas carrying your heavy pack for you up the mountain but they are meant to help guide you, provide context, and offer their advice. Too often I see organizations trying to shirk their responsibility in developing future leaders by suggesting that personal development is the responsibility of the employees. Certainly the employee is responsible for taking “ownership” of their own development but that is a far cry from organizations not having any responsibility. When this gap exists it will be at the organizations own peril – they will struggle to replace departing leaders with qualified candidates and eventually they will battle with the Peter Principle.

Feature interview with Shawn Mintz, founder of MentorCity, an online mentor matching company to help people achieve greater success. Hear Shawn’s career story from working in employment services to becoming a social entrepreneur profiled in Canadian Newcomer Magazine. Career Buzz radio show of Nov. 28, 2012, first broadcast on CIUT 89.5 FM in Toronto and online at www.ciut.fm Produced and hosted by Mark Franklin, president of CareerCycles www.careercycles.com

We sit down with Shawn Mintz to talk about eBook MentorCity.