"Connecting Gen Y with the Seasoned HR Professional: The Importance of Mentoring and Coaching Programs"

Presented by: SHRM Student Chapter - Erin Landers, Maribel Rascon, Kristy Bolsinger, Cheryl Berger

With the composition of the workforce changing or projected to change in the next few years (i.e., Baby Boomers beginning to retire, Gen Y entering the workforce) organizations face the challenges of dealing with knowledge loss, obsolescence of knowledge for older workers deciding to remain at their company, and a lack of knowledge and guidance for new hires.

Organizations will need to set up mechanisms that allow older workers to transfer their knowledge and offer support to younger workers. Coaching and mentoring programs are two such mechanisms that, if implemented well, can facilitate the transfer of knowledge and support systems needed to maintain organizational success.

Teaching Objectives/ Take Aways:
What coaching and mentoring programs are.
The benefits and needs that the programs fulfill.
The specifics for each (the goals/purpose of the programs, who participates,
what typical coach/mentor relationships entail).
How to implement successful mentoring and coaching programs.
Examples of companies who have successful programs.

Erin Landers, President   Graduated from University of Idaho with a BS in Business with an emphasis in Management and HR and a minor in Sociology. Erin has worked in HR roles in collegiate athletics and state agencies. Her goal is to start as a generalist in athletics, natural resources or healthcare industries.

Simona Bucur, VP Born in Targu-Mures, Romania and graduated from Babes Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Simona currently has no HR work experience. HR is one of the most important aspects of a business. HR should be a business partner in all companies and unless you know what it can really do, you will never be able to leverage it in its entirety. Her goal is to understand the intricacies of the HR responsibilities and capabilities and be able to integrate them in the overall business strategy of companies.

Mikki Trowbridge Treasurer Born in Long Beach, California and graduated from Willamette University with an Economics major. Currently, Mikki has no background in Human Resources.  Her future career goals are to work in not-for-profit management.  In the not-for-profit realm, she would like to experience running a not-for-profit community service oriented alternative break program, and she is currently interning at the United Way Mid-Willamette Valley .

Cheryl Berger, VP of Merit Award Born in Morgantown, West Virginia . She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Montana, Missoula and graduated May 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Business, Management Major. She worked with the Flathead County Justice Court , Kalispell , Montana for 10 years. During that time she was a clerk, acting Justice of the Peace and finally office administrator. She participated in the selection process for two interim judge positions. During the last year she was the official office administrator. Her goal is to obtain an HR position, primarily focusing on the development of employee training and enhancement programs, conducting training programs as well as facilitating conflict resolution. She plans to stay in northwest Oregon , so she will be looking for work with a smaller for profit organization. In an effort to support my goal, she will be taking the PHR certification in December and the GPHR certification in May.

Kristy Bolsinger, Director of Communications   Has lived in Oregon her whole life. She graduated in 2005 from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelors of Science in Communication/Media Studies with a minor in Public Relations. Shortly after graduation she became employed with Lithia Motors Inc. as the Human Resources Administrator. There she managed FMLA, ADA , CA AB 1825 and a variety of other employment laws for 7000+ employees. She returned to school in the Fall of 2007 to obtain her Masters in Business Administration to further her career and expand her knowledge base. She is concentrating her education in Human Resources and is looking forward to graduation in the Spring of 2009. She currently is searching for a challenging internship in HR for the summer of 2008.

Maribel Rascon, Director of Information Systems Born in Hermiston, OR. She graduated from Western Oregon University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance and Information Systems. She worked on active duty for a year as a IT database technician for the Oregon Military Department in Salem, OR. She then later decided to go back to obtain her MBA at Willamette University. She plans to work in the HR field, specifically as a generalist. She is seeking internship opportunities for summer of 2008.