Role models, mentors, coaches and sponsors: The gaps that the Annual Status of Education Report data doesn't point out
Hindustan TimesMy first official mentor was a force of nature. Nearly half of 14-18-year-old Indians do not know anyone doing the work they aspire to do — and schools are neither having conversations with students on career goals, nor are they providing role models. In fact, as social scientist Ruth Gotian writes in Forbes magazine — and borne out by my own personal experience — we all need a role model, a mentor, a coach and a sponsor. They help you refine your plan, suggest people you should talk to, opportunities you should partake in, and obstacles you should be aware of.” I have been fortunate to have such a mentor in Khozem Merchant, a communications expert, who has helped me through an important career transition, from working in a family business, to full-time writing and journalism, over the last 15 years. They can offer role models, mentors, coaches and sponsors to students, which would no doubt help to narrow the skills gap, provide companies with a truly employable workforce, and most significantly, give our youth new dreams.
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