Mentoring in the Workplace

[Bill Burns <wburns -at- MICRON -dot- COM>]

I'm writing a proposal for a technical communications
mentoring program to help production and technical employees
in my department develop the writing, editing, design, and
computer skills necessary for entry-level positions in
technical writing.  I have four questions for the list.

        1.  Have any of you in TECHWR-L land developed
            such a program for your company?

        2.  What suggestions would you make for the applicants'
            participation requirements?

        3.  What skills do you feel would be essential to emphasize
            for an entry-level position (aside from the requisite
            writing skills and grammar knowledge)?

        4.  What suggestions would you make for completion requirements
            (such as time length of mentoring, development of a major project,
            assessment of progress)?

Many of the people in my department who have expressed interest in such a
program have four-year degrees in various nontechnical subjects.  Others simply
have solid writing skills and are looking for a career beyond the production
floor that does not involve supervision.  I feel the need to provide more than
the technical writing course offered by corporate training (for which our
department still has to pay), and I especially want to develop a pool of
qualified internal candidates for technical writing positions.


Thanks,
Bill Burns
Assembly Training and Documentation Supervisor
WBURNS -at- MICRON -dot- COM

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