It’s no secret that here at Purple Shirt we are passionate about delivering world class experiences for our clients and their customers! What you may not know is…we’re also committed to continuous learning, preserving as well as developing our inclusive culture, and leveraging the unique capabilities of our diverse team.
Recently, some of our people expressed an interest in helping grow talent in the UX industry, or more specifically to become a Mentor. This aspiration aligns with our purpose and philosophy to professional development at Purple Shirt, and it was a no-brainer to explore what a mentoring offering could look like that would benefit both our people and the wider UX Community.
The idea germinated and we were wondering how we would ‘put ourselves out there’ so to speak but then, ironically, and as timing would have it, some potential “Mentees” started reaching out to ask if Purple Shirt could help them prepare for a job interview or support skill development. This validated the need, gave us the ‘green light’ and even though we were yet to design the program, these Mentees were happy to start an engagement on an adhoc basis. The timing was fortuitous as we were given an early opportunity to learn what’s important to Mentees while adding value for them both professionally and personally. During this time, Mentors also provided insight on what it was about the engagement that was giving them a sense of purpose.
What we have started seeing as a result, is that our Mentors have become more reflective in their own practice. Passing on their knowledge and expertise. Providing both members of this unique ‘partnership’ a space for growth, learning and sharing – a space where career as well as personal development will organically be the biproduct.
"Being a mentor has been a great opportunity to share insights, help others, and give back to the design industry. It is a rewarding experience being able to contribute and help others within their careers, just as others have done for me. The growth and learning opportunities aren’t one sided either. As a mentor, it has made me reflect on my own practice and gain new perspectives on approaching challenges." - Josh, Purple Shirt Mentor
Taking the collective learnings from our Mentors and Mentees along with our core learning principles (you can read more about that here) we’ve created a Purple Shirt mentoring program, with structured modules and progress tracking that allows Mentees to build confidence and make meaningful decisions.
“When I completed a Master of UX from Victoria University, I had very little understanding of how to get into the industry, and what it was actually like. I ticked many boxes on paper; good grades and a portfolio that I was getting positive feedback on. However, I needed practical guidance in the industry. When I reached out to Kimberley at Purple Shirt, she was very positive about providing mentorship and introduced me to Josh, an amazing UX designer. Whether it was industry advice or preparing for mock interviews, Josh was flexible around my needs and helped me land an amazing UX design role at a great design agency.” - AYoung, Mentee
Registration is now closed for our first intake. Registrations for our second intake will open in September.
