NMG to upscale in-house staff mentorship scheme

Nation Media Group (NMG)–Uganda says it will expand the in-house staff mentorship training scheme because of the benefits registered in the just concluded pilot project.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of staff,  Ms Carol Beyanga, the head of the mentorship programme, tasked companies to invest in such initiatives in order to harness their employees’  full potential.

“This is the start of something which is hugely successful. We tried several times and kept falling through. But we have taken steps to start and we are celebrating the first cohort,” she said on Friday at Kampala Serena Hotel.

Ms Beyanga said mentorship is important for everyone’s career because it instills skills that help employees become better leaders. 

The mentees, who shared their experience of the three-month session, said they acquired skills in video editing, writing, moderating radio and television talk shows, as well as managing conflict and pressure in the newsroom.

Mr Tony Glencross, the managing director of NMG-Uganda, applauded the programme, which he said has turned out to be a tremendous success.

“Mentorship is in every aspect of life. There will be people you try to emulate or follow, to improve yourself,” he said, adding that the company would work towards ensuring that the scheme grows.

Mr Daniel Kalinaki, the NMG-Uganda Editorial general manager, hailed the editors, who participated in the mentorship scheme.

“A candle does not diminish its brightness by lighting another candle. If you know something and you teach another person, it does not diminish you, there is enough in the world for our needs not our greed. So let’s keep improving as individuals and professionals,” he said.

In June, NMG-Uganda launched the staff mentorship programme in the editorial department to re-skill employees in order to increase their productivity.

The team says they plan to extend the programme to other departments in order to reap the same benefits.