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HTML Writers Guild Services Mentors

Mentor/Apprentice Program

IMPORTANT

Please Note:The Mentor/Admin Program has changed management, and responses may be slow for about a month while the new management gets settled in. Everything should be settled properly by October 1, 1998.

APPLICANTS: Applications for apprenticeship are handled on
a first come-first serve basis; now is an excellent time to apply.
To determine your eligibility, check the program details below.

MENTORS: The Apprentice Evaluation Form is now available.
Please submit one copy of the form per subject, per apprentice.

Overview

The purpose of the Mentor/Apprentice program is to provide an avenue for members to increase their skills and knowledge through one-on-one interaction with more experienced Guild members. The program is open to all Full members of the Guild as Apprentices, and any member, Trial or Full, as a mentor.

The program operates on a quarterly cycle. Apprentices are assigned to Mentors for at least one quarter, after which the Mentor evaluates the Apprentice, and the Apprentice has the opportunity to decide whether to continue with the program or the current Mentor.

Mentors are selected by a three-person Mentor Selection Panel, which evaluates the Mentor's application and qualifications. Mentors must be experienced web designers and Guild members. 

The program is administered by the Mentor/Apprentice Program Manager, with assistance from the Assistant Mentor/Apprentice Program Manager(s) and Senior Mentors; a member of the Governing Board serves as the Governing Board Contact and liaison for the program.

Specific information and details follow.

Purpose and Definitions

  1. The purpose of the Mentor/Apprentice Program (M/AP) is to provide opportunity for participants, designated as Apprentices, to receive individualized guidance and advice from more experienced members of the Guild, designated as Mentors.  
  2. Apprentices are members of the HTML Writers Guild who feel that they could benefit from one-on-one interaction with an experienced and knowledgeable web designer. 
  3. Mentors are members of the HTML Writers Guild who have chosen to share their experience and knowledge with less experienced Guild members. 
  4. The Mentor/Apprentice Program is run on a quarterly system. Each Quarter is three months long and lasts from the first of the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth months, until the last day of the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth months, respectively. 

Personnel

  1. The Mentor/Apprentice Program is administered by the Mentor/Apprentice Program Manager (M/APM), who reports to the Executive Director of the HTML Writers Guild. 
  2. The M/APM selects at least one (but no more than three) individuals to serve as Assistant Mentor/Apprentice Managers (AM/AMs). 
  3. Senior Mentors may be designated to assist the Manager(s) in organizing and training the Mentors. 
  4. The Governing Board Contact (GBC) for the Mentor/Apprentice Program serves as a liaison between the M/AP and the Governing Board of the HTML Writers Guild. 
  5. The M/APM and AM/AMs constitute the Mentor/Apprentice Program Management Team. 
  6. The Mentor Selection Panel is comprised of three Mentors or members of the M/AP Management Team selected by the M/APM. 

 

Apprentice Eligibility

  1. Participation in the Mentor/Apprentice Program is open to members of the HTML Writers Guild at the Value
    2. and Plus levels. Basic members are not eligible for participation. 
  2. Apprentices must have basic skills in web design; the M/AP is not designed as an introduction to HTML. 
  3. Apprentices must have reliable access to the World Wide Web and email. 
  4. Apprentices are expected to work toward site design that validates to a W3C standard (2.0 minimum, 3.2, or 4.0) and shows respect for the developing criteria for accessibility, in addition to concentrating on the specific area of apprenticeship.

Mentor Eligibility

  1. A Mentor must currently be a member of the HTML Writers Guild, and must have been a member (of any level) of the HWG for at least six months. 
  2. Mentors must have reliable and regular access to the World Wide Web and email. 
  3. Mentors must have experience in the area in which they wish to mentor. 
  4. Mentors must have demonstrated ability to design web pages and/or web sites, as judged by the Mentor Selection Panel. 
  5. Mentors must have at least one year's experience in web design or a relevant field. This need not be paid experience, but must demonstrate ability to produce professional-quality work. 
  6. Internet standards are in a constant state of change, particularly in the areas of validation and accessibility. Mentors must demonstrate that their work meets or exceeds generally recognized current industry standards for validation, accessibility, and bandwidth.

Apprentice Application Process

  1. An Apprentice enters the Mentor/Apprentice Program by completing an online application form. The application form includes a section in which the Apprentice may designate certain qualifications sought in a Mentor-- for example, CGI or Java ability, marketing experience, or primary language. 
  2. The applications are reviewed by the Mentor/Apprentice Program Management Team, and if there is currently a Mentor who fits the requested qualifications with the ability to take on another Apprentice, the Apprentice is assigned to that Mentor, and both are contacted via email. 
  3. If there is no qualified Mentor currently available, the Apprentice is informed of this, and given the option of waiting for a Mentor to become available, or resubmitting the application form with different qualifications. 
  4. At the end of each Quarter, all unassigned Apprentices will be contacted and asked to resubmit an application. 

Mentor Application Process

  1. A Mentor enters the Mentor/Apprentice Program by completing an online application form. The application form includes a section in which the potential Mentor details relevant experiences and skills, along with a list of sample URLs. The applicant also lists a maximum number of Apprentices that he or she is willing to handle. 
  2. The Mentor Selection Panel reviews each application and the potential Mentor's listed URLs. A vote is taken on each applicant's ability to serve as a Mentor; a 2/3 vote of the Mentor Selection Panel is necessary for an applicant to be approved as a Mentor. 
  3. The results of the Mentor Selection Panel's vote are given to the M/AP Manager and the applicant, and if approved, the Mentor is available to be assigned Apprentices as appropriate. 

Apprentice Participation

  1. An Apprentice may participate in the Mentor/Apprentice Program for up to four (4) Quarters, including the initial Quarter in which he enters the program. Further participation in the Mentor/Apprentice Program must be approved by the M/AP Manager. 
  2. Apprentices may resign from the Mentor/Apprentice Program by writing to the M/AP Manager at any time. 
  3. Apprentices are expected to be in regular contact with their Mentors. An Apprentice who does not respond to Mentor email within two weeks may be considered inactive, at the discretion of the M/A Manager. 
  4. An Apprentice may be removed by the M/AP Manager for cause; reasons can include inactivity, resignation from the HTML Writers Guild, violation of Guild rules, undeliverable email, or abusive behavior toward Mentors or M/AP personnel. 
  5. If an Apprentice feels that his needs are not being met by a Mentor, he may request reassignment to a new Mentor. The Apprentice may have to wait for a new Mentor to become available. 

Mentor Participation

  1. A Mentor is expected to participate in the Mentor/Apprentice Program for at least two (2) Quarters, including the initial Quarter in which she enters the program. An individual may serve as a Mentor for as many Quarters as she likes. 
  2. Mentors may resign from the Mentor/Apprentice Program by writing to theM/AP Manager. If resigning before the end of a Quarter, the Mentor is not credited for participation in that Quarter. 
  3. Mentors are expected to be in regular contact with their Apprentices. A Mentor who does not respond to Apprentice email within two weeks may be considered inactive, at the discretion of the M/A Manager. 
  4. A Mentor must subscribe to the hwg-mentors Mailing List and is expected to answer any roll calls initiated by the M/AP Manager. A Mentor who does not respond to a roll call within a week may be considered inactive. 
  5. A Mentor who does not complete an Apprentice Evaluation Form at the end of each Quarter for every Apprentice assigned to her may be considered inactive. 
  6. A Mentor may be removed by the M/AP Manager for cause; reasons can include inactivity, resignation from the HTML Writers Guild, violation of Guild rules, undeliverable email, or abusive behavior toward Apprentices or M/AP personnel. A Mentor removed in this manner is not credited for participation in the current Quarter. 
  7. A Mentor who serves for two or more Quarters is credited with participation as a Guild volunteer, and is eligible for membership dues credits as determined by the Governing Board. 

Apprentice Evaluation Forms

  1. In order to gauge an Apprentice's progress, the Mentor is is expected to complete an Apprentice Evaluation Form at the end of each Quarter. TheM/AP Management Team will notify the Mentors at least a month before the end of the Quarter and provide the URL for the Evaluation Form. 
  2. Completed Apprentice Evaluation Forms will be kept confidential within the Mentor/Apprentice Program Management Team. 
  3. A Mentor's evaluation of an Apprentice may include, but is not limited to, the following options: 
    • Recommend the Apprentice continue with the Mentor/Apprentice Program for at least another Quarter 
    • Recommend graduation from the Mentor/Apprentice Program 
    • No opinion 
  4. The M/AP Management Team will review responses and suggest an appropriate course of action to the Apprentice. If the response is No opinion , theM/AP Management Team will try to determine if the needs of the Apprentice and Mentor involved are being met. 

Mentor Evaluation Forms

  1. At the end of each Quarter, an Apprentice may elect to complete a Mentor Evaluation Form. This is optional and is not a requirement for continued participation in the Mentor/Apprentice Program. 
  2. Completed Mentor Evaluation Forms will be kept confidential within the Mentor/Apprentice Program Management Team. 
  3. An Apprentice's evaluation of a Mentor may include, but is not limited to, the following options: 
    • Satisfied with the Mentor's guidance 
    • Dissatisfied with the Mentor's guidance 
    • Request reassignment to another Mentor 
    • No opinion 
  4. The M/AP Management Team can use the Evaluation Forms to gauge if Apprentices'  needs are being met by their current Mentors, and determine if changes in Apprentice assignments are appropriate. 

If you wish to communicate directly with the HWG Mentor/Apprentice Program Administration Team, send email to mentor-admin(at)hwg.org

The Administration Team wishes to express its appreciation to those Guild members who have volunteered as mentors in the past, and hope that many of them will continue to offer their services to the new scheme in the future. Questions concerning current mentor/apprentice relationships (which may or may not be upgraded to the new program, with the attendant benefits and duties, at the choice of both mentor and apprentice) are welcomed at this time.

The HWG Mentor/Apprentice Program Administration Team consists of:

  • Manager (mentor-admin(at)hwg.org) (Note: the Program Manager position is currently open)
  • Leanne Phillips (leanne(at)hwg.org) (Vice President, Member Education)
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This page is maintained by mentor-admin(at)hwg.org. Last updated on 9 August 1998.
Copyright © 1998 by the HTML Writers Guild, Inc.