Mentorship is necessary in today’s job market and key for driving innovation, career development, and access to professional opportunities. However, many young professionals struggle to secure mentorship, a critical missing piece from their professional development. 

According to Forbes, 76% of people think mentorship is vital to early-stage professional success, but only 37% have a mentor. Inequitable opportunities,  lack of experience, and restraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have made securing employment for youth more dependent on networking and privileged social capital. This creates greater exclusivity in the workforce, given systemic issues that lead to inequitable opportunities in networks and education. 

Companies and organizations benefit greatly when they provide support to young professionals and build leadership skills at every stage of their careers. Mentorship enhances the development of soft and technical skills critical to employment, and encourages diversity to create a well-rounded team, improving team dynamics.

Since 2009, Student Energy has worked with over 50,000 young people from more than 120 countries, empowering them with the skills, knowledge, and connections they need to lead the energy transition. Mentorship is a cornerstone of this mission – by connecting mentees with experienced professionals, we ensure our global youth network gains access to tailored guidance for their unique projects and challenges, practical advice on navigating the climate and energy fields, and the opportunity to learn directly from leaders in the industry. 

What are the Mentorship Models?

Student Energy will offer three streams of mentorship for a flexible commitment from mentors and mentees:

1. Flash Mentorship: 1 x 1-hour mentorship session every 1-3 months focused on gathering necessary information, securing connections, or learning a skill. Flash mentorship will likely occur with a different mentee each session. 
2. Project & Career Development: Monthly, 1-hour recurring meetings supporting a team project or advising on career goals and professional development. 
3. Committed Mentorship: Weekly or bi-weekly meetings building a solid mentorship relationship, supporting a team project through completion, or young professionals through their early stage career development. 

Commitment levels can change throughout the cycle, and the change can be agreed upon by the mentor and the mentee.

How the Mentor Matching Process Works

• Mentor Registration: Bloomberg staff interested in becoming mentors must complete the Mentor Registration Form (linked below). All staff who apply are added to our database designed to help us create mentor matches. We may contact you anytime between March and December 2025 about mentor matching with our program participants.

• Mentor Requests: The Student Energy community can submit a detailed mentorship request form outlining their goals and areas where they are seeking support. 
• Matching and Introduction: Student Energy will review and screen all requests, and facilitate the matching process. Matches will be made based on your skills and experiences and the mentee’s needs. Once a match is made, we will introduce you to the mentee via email, and we will help schedule and facilitate the initial meeting

Why become a Student Energy Mentor?

By registering as a Student Energy Mentor, you will:

• Provide guidance to youth-led projects, professional development, and career exploration.
• Connect with a global community of innovative youth and professionals dedicated to addressing challenges in the energy transition.
• Strengthen your coaching and mentorship abilities while making a meaningful impact.
• Plan an active role in shaping the workforce of tomorrow and driving the sustainable energy transition forward.

This is a great opportunity to inspire, engage, and innovate alongside the next generation of energy leaders.

This is your opportunity to play a direct role in shaping the future of energy. By becoming a mentor, you’ll directly contribute to youth-led solutions and gain unparalleled access to a network of passionate, forward-thinking young leaders.

Become a Student Energy Mentor Today

Becoming a Student Mentor is an easy process. Simply complete the Mentor Registration Form below and we will follow up with you with for more details and possible mentees to work with.

APPLY NOW

If you have any questions about Student Energy Mentorship, please contact us at mentorship@studentenergy.org.

“Our goal for the SevenGen summit is to engage, inform, and empower delegates to build capacity, build confidence, and build a community that will drive individuals or groups to carry forward their ideas beyond the summit.” -SevenGen 2022 Council

The Power of Kinship

This year’s theme focuses on the ‘Power of Kinship’. Kinship revolves around a sense of belonging and right from birth that Indigenous Peoples have carried through many generations. This value has been echoed throughout the summit, creating spaces for Indigenous youth to be involved through capacity building, program development, mentorship, and advocacy. Panel sessions, discussions, and workshops provided a space to explore and reflect on those kinship connections, not only focusing on collaboration between all kin, but also our kinship within ourselves and with the land.

“As we progress with the goal of empowering and inspiring future Indigenous leaders and changemakers, our energy kin evolves. We want to create a shared future where we can live in a reciprocal relationship with our human and non-human kin.”-SevenGen 2022 Council

SEPTEMBER 8: ImaGENation Wanuskewin Tour and SevenGen 2022 Summit Opening Ceremonies

The 2021-2023 ImaGENation Indigenous Youth Cohort went on a tour to the Wanuskewin Heritage Park along with ImaGENation Program Manager Alexandra Thomson, ImaGENation Program Coordinators Justin Pelan, and Ray Burrage-Goodwin. The group’s tour featured learning about the elaborate history of the Plains Indigenous Peoples who have lived in the area for thousands of years, including a native plant walk and a guided tipi teaching session.

SevenGen 2022’s opening ceremonies featured a grand entry including the announcement of the summit’s dignitaries. Aly Bear welcomed the night with a keynote address, followed by a Leadership Panel featuring SevenGen Council members Mihskakwan James Harper, Danielle Kehler, and Shana Southwind, and ImaGENation Program Manager Alexandra Thomson.

SEPTEMBER 9: Leadership & Governance Panel, Partnership & Kinship Panel, Innovation Jam

Day 2 of the summit started with Tom Benjoe, an Indigenous leader in the field of business, as the keynote speaker. He encourages youth to be comfortable with their own skin and shares that he takes great pride in making sure Indigenous Peoples are being supported in the field of business.

The Leadership & Governance Panel follows shortly after, with SevenGen 2022 Co-Chair Jordyn Burnouf leading the conversation. The panelists include Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. President Aluki Kotierk, Mayor of Northern Village of La Loche and former Member of Parliament Georgina Jolibois, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Senior Policy Advisor Graeme Reed, and Strategic Lead for Nation Building at Vuntut Gwitchin Government Jordan Peterson. This panel highlighted that systems of kinship and making spaces for Indigenous Peoples should be kept in mind by our leaders.

The Partnership & Kinship panel is led by SevenGen Council member Mihskakwan James Harper, with panelists Taylor Behn-Tsakoza of Executive Member of the National Youth Council (AFN), Heidi Dixon of SunCor, Larissa Crawford of Future Ancestors, and Darrell Brown of Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE). The panel talked about the power of kinship and how engaging the community encourages Indigenous youth to participate in the transition to an equitable and sustainable energy future.

The Innovation Jam gave space for the delegates to pitch and develop their ideas for clean energy projects in the Indigenous landscape. Through this, we were able to hear and witness the diverse ideas youth want to contribute to the growing clean energy transition.

Keynote speaker Randy Herrmann, Director of the Engineering Access Program at the University of Manitoba, talked about Indigenous cultures and the innovations they forged through time. He highlighted the sustainability of Indigenous design.

“Indigenous peoples manage entire landscapes and entire ecosystems, and thinking about their neighbors as they did. The components of Indigenous design is inherently sustainable.” – Randy Herrmann, Director of the Engineering Access Program at the University of Manitoba

SEPTEMBER 10: Finance Panel, Workshops, and Closing Ceremonies

On the final day of the summit, our keynote speaker Shannin Metatawabin, ICD.D, CEO of the National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association (NACCA), talks about Indigenous gifts as a source of power. This is followed by a panel discussion on Finance led by SevenGen 2022 Co-Chair Nathan Kaye. the panelists include industry leaders Phillip Ducharme of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Conrad Young of Raven Trust, Shannon Metatawabin, ICD.D, and Eryn Stewart of Indigenous Clean Energy (ICE).

Delegates joined in workshops with 4 areas of interest, including Community & Energy, Water & Energy, Food Security & Energy, and Energy Careers. Delegates actively participated in breakout rooms with their areas of choice.

SevenGen 2022: The Power of Kinship

The event was organized by the SevenGen Indigenous Youth Energy Council and Student Energy.

Watch the highlight video here.

The recently published  World Energy Employment report from the International Energy Agency calls attention to the growing demand for highly skilled workers in the energy sector. Clean energy employment is set to grow to an estimated 30 million by 2030, creating a need for workers with energy sector-specific skill sets. Despite this immense potential for growth and innovation, the clean energy sector will face a dire shortage of talent in the coming years. At the same time, there are thousands of young people worldwide who are deeply passionate about a just energy transition and have the potential to become leaders in the industry. However, they lack access to skills training programs, mentorship networks, and entry-level project experience needed to enter these careers. The clean energy sector is one field where partnerships are required to break down barriers that divide youth from the workforce. 

Student Energy Career Training (SECT)

The program connects young people between 18 and 30 from diverse backgrounds directly to energy industry partners who share experience, provide mentorship, and support the next generation of the energy workforce. This project partnership is committed to promoting youth voices that inspire innovative ideas and collaborative solutions necessary for a sustainable energy future.

As a partner, SEforALL will mentor and guide the 2022 SECT cohort through learning about and addressing a real-world energy problem. SEforALL will be hosting two projects in this cohort — the first addressing healthcare, and the second for China- UN Platform on Climate Cooperation and Renewable Energy. Over half the world’s energy employment is in the Asia Pacific region, and the People’s Republic of China has the largest number of energy workers. It has an estimated near 20 million workers and is home to energy’s largest and fastest growing workforce, making it an essential market for research and analysis on the energy transition. This platform aims to accelerate and scale up the deployment of renewable energy in identified countries by sharing knowledge and success stories from China, while also leveraging China’s expertise and development support to accelerate the deployment of clean energy in countries across the Global South, most notably in Africa.

About Student Energy Career Training

Student Energy Career Training (SECT) is a 4-month cohort-based program aimed at young people between 18 and 30 who are interested in pursuing a career that advances the energy transition but may not yet have the skills, knowledge, or connections necessary to get a ‘foot in the door’. Led by Student Energy and co-created by knowledge partners Enel Foundation, this program offers students a comprehensive introduction to the current energy system, decarbonization pathways, energy economics, and policy. 

Student Energy Career Training aims to provide students in each cohort with the technical and soft skills necessary to secure an internship or entry-level role in the clean energy sector by connecting students with mentors from leading energy organizations like Enel Foundation and SEforALL. They provide subject matter expertise and support students in becoming career-ready through energy system education, project management skill building, and career coaching.

About Sustainable Energy for All

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations, government leaders, the private sector, financial institutions, civil society, and philanthropies to drive faster action towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030 – in line with the Paris Agreement on climate.

We work to ensure a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind and brings new opportunities for everyone to fulfill their potential. Partnerships are essential to our work. Delivering on the mandate of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) and the Paris Agreement demands concerted action. Given the ambition of both international frameworks, this will not be a small task and we will not achieve progress alone.

Call to Action

Applications to join the 2023 Student Energy Career Training cohort open in December 2022!

The program is open to young people aged 18-30 around the world from all academic and professional backgrounds. Beginning in January, the program will be a 4-month course featuring core energy education and mentorship from Student Energy and expert energy organizations, including SEforALL.

Learn more at: https://studentenergy.org/program/career_training_program/