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For this generation, it's not about if they're a good fit for a job, but whether the job is a good fit for them.

Funded by Gordon (TrMg鈥�77) and Susan Trafton, Leeds Mentoring Programs turned 15 this year and celebrated matching over 9,000 students with mentors. At Leeds, where mentorship is a cornerstone of the student experience, 54% of the 2024 graduating class had participated in at least one mentorship program.

Today鈥檚 graduates and students, known as Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), want mentors who support their distinctly different views on work from previous generations.

While salary is still the most important factor in deciding on a job, research has shown that Gen Z values salary less than any other generation before it. They鈥檙e searching for interesting and meaningful work that gives them autonomy, flexibility and work-life balance at a company aligned with their their values: diversity, sustainability and social impact.

They gravitate toward opportunities where they can build genuine, personal relationships with co-workers and supervisors. Likewise, Gen Z expects more from their mentors than career advice and connections.

鈥淪tudents are looking for more than professional advice from their mentors; they are looking for a true, authentic relationship. Sometimes they鈥檒l talk about friends, family and mental health for an entire session,鈥� said Sally Forester, associate director of Leeds Mentoring Programs.

These relationships frequently become lifelong, thanks to Forester and her team. They match student and mentor pairs one by one, using a blend of technology and human insights to make personalized matches, ensuring each student finds the right mentor for them.

All three mentoring programs鈥攖he Young Alumni, Peer2Peer and Professional Mentorship Programs鈥攈ave received gold-level accreditation from the International Mentoring Association, recognized as model programs among higher education institutions.

And the programs keep growing with the times, ready to meet the evolving needs of generations to come.