Mentorship and apprenticeship programmes
Mentorship
Mentorship - a relationship between two people where the individual with more experience, knowledge, and connections is able to pass along what they have learned to a more junior individual within a certain field. The more senior individual is the mentor, and the more junior individual is the mentee.
Student mentorship in the Department of History and Archaeology is conducted at various levels.
1.) When first years are admitted to University, mentorship commences immediately. Members of the Department, led by the Chair attend the Faculty orientation meetings to introduce students to the various programmes offered in the Department and opportunities available to graduates.
2.) Generally, mentorship programmes in the Department are academic. The programmes range from Diploma level in some courses to undergraduate, masters and PhD degrees.
• In these programmes, a team of very qualified staff mentor students through academic learning, essentially assisting and developing them to achieve their highest academic potential.
• The Department’s approaches to teaching/learning are also geared to nurturing student talents, and building their character and self esteem.
• Weekly official consultation hours between academic staff and students are part of lecturers’ weekly timetable. During such meetings, students articulate their challenges especially on academic matters and get lecturers advise or guidance.
• Academic mentorship also involves creating student awareness, right from their undergraduate years, of the possibilities for postgraduate studies within the university and outside, requisite qualifications for such further studies and scholarship possibilities.
• As a service Department to the Faculty of Education, the Department of History and Archaeology has appointed a coordinator as a link between the two units. Student issues are channeled through this coordinating office for speedy resolution.
• The Chair of the Department schedules consultative meetings with the Bachelor of Education students at least once a year. During such meetings, students report on their level of satisfaction.
3) In liaison with the Career Office, the Department may also inform its unemployed graduates of available job opportunities.
4) Socially, the Department offers distinctive support for special groups especially those with special needs.
-Visiting international students in the Department are guided on how to go around University and Nairobi in general with emphasis on important dos and don’ts within the city.
Apprenticeship
Meaning- an arrangement in which someone learns an art, trade, or job under a more experienced professional.
As a training provider, the Department of History and Archaeology is in collaboration with a number of organizations to introduce its students/graduates to the world of work through internships. The National Museums of Kenya and the National Archives are key collaborators in this regard. Links with the Ministry of Tourism and the tourist industry in general provide short periods of on the job learning opportunities to many tourism graduates from the Department. Currently, the Department is also in the process of developing further links with NGOs and some international organizations where its graduates can sharpen their vocational skills through apprenticeship.
The Department also offers opportunities for internship to students from within the University of Nairobi or other institutions from across the country.
The various organizations where students do apprenticeship send feedback to the Department on students’ performance, which information it utilizes to improve on student support, especially in academic matters.