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mentorship
The ProductBC mentorship program enables product people to improve their skills by learning from seasoned professionals. Mentors work on their coaching skills and give back to the product community, while mentees benefit from one-on-one advice and assistance.
Please note, the program admission criteria, number of spots available and matching process has changed this year. Please read details below.
Program duration
The program is 3 months in duration.
Mentee requirements
Mentees are product professionals with 2+ years of product experience and must be active members of ProductBC. Mentees will enter the program with a predetermined SMART goal to work on.
Mentor requirements
Mentors must have at least 2 years of product experience.
Program Details
During the program, mentors and mentees will meet a minimum of 5 times. Mentor and mentee pairs manage their own meetings and they can meet either in person or remotely. Each participant must sign a confidentiality agreement before the program kicks off.
Participants apply through the Pairwise as part of the application process. Program leaders will review each application prior to the matching process. Spots are limited, if you don’t get matched with this cohort, we encourage you to apply for the next session.
Mentee and mentor applicants are encouraged to save the day to attend our online program kickoff event
on September 2nd, 2026 from 5:00 PM to 6:00PM PDT (online).
If you have questions about your application, qualifications or requirements, reach out to our Professional Development Officer, Colleen Knuff by emailing colleen@productbc.ca or reach out to her on the ProductBC Slack channel.
Thank you!
NOTE: You will need to create a separate account on Pairwise in order to apply; Your ProductBC login credentials will not work.
The matching process focuses on aligning expectations and capabilities of mentors and mentees. The process consists of:
Phase 1: Profile Matching
Mentee and Mentor applications are reviewed and assessed by the mentorship program team in order to identify matches.
Phase 2: Match Introduction
Matched mentors and mentees are invited to a Kickoff event, where the Program Operations team completes a welcome address, shares program details and guidelines for you to maximize your mentorship experience. Please note if either individual does not wish to continue, no rematch is offered.
Participants will select their focus area from the following:
- Early Career Development: Navigating towards a title in product management, improving networking and resume skills, gaining foundational experience, understanding the basics of product management, etc.
- Senior Career Development: Refining career strategy, navigating organizational politics, leveraging extensive industry experience, advancing within senior roles, mentoring junior colleagues, etc.
- Leadership Development: Enhancing skills in thought leadership, effective management, cross-functional collaboration, strategic decision-making, fostering a culture of innovation, etc.
- Skill Mastery: Strengthening expertise and proficiency in specific areas of product management.
Application period: Aug. 17th to Aug. 26th (1.5 weeks)
Pair matching & emails sent: Aug. 31st, 2026
Program length: September 1st to December 11th (3 months)
Program kickoff: Wednesday, September 2nd 5:00 – 6:00 PM PT (virtual)
The primary focus of our Mentorship Program is to help product managers, product owners and other product professionals across British Columbia. Hence, mentee participants from Vancouver Island, Kelowna, as well as other regions in BC are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome mentors from outside of Metro Vancouver & abroad. Mentoring in our program can be conducted 100% remotely. There is flexibility with meeting frequency (monthly, bi-weekly or weekly), but the mentor and mentee pairing should meet a minimum of 5 times.
From Past Mentors:
I have mentored now for several years and have realized I learn as much as I give. Mentoring has given me the opportunity to demonstrate to my own company people development and leadership skills that I didn’t have in my current day-to-day job. This has been particularly impactful as I work with my mentees to find the right approach to the right situation, which I’ve learned is not always the same approach. I’ve also built really strong relationships with my mentees which has expanded my network. What a fantastic way to grow and give back.
D.M. – Spring 2026
I have had the satisfaction of mentoring several mentees through job challenges and job changes, which is a very rewarding experience. I knew I wanted to give back to the ProductBC community, and have realized it’s been one of the best feelings when you share in the success of others.
C.L – Fall 2025
From Past Mentees:
When I struggled to get good advice in my current workplace on how to grow and successfully land a more senior position, I applied for the ProductBC mentorship program. I was paired with a mentor who understood my industry and worked in a large organization like mine. I got great advice on how to ask better questions, advocate for opportunities to prove myself, and great guidance on how to build certain skills. I feel I am well on my way to achieving my professional goals thanks to the mentorship I received. A.D. – Spring 2026
AI is all I ever hear about in the news, the profession and in my organization, yet I didn’t know how best to navigate the new work environment. My mentor gave me some very practical advice on how to learn to adapt, use and critique AI so that I better understand how and when to use AI tools. Having someone to confide in about my worries, who isn’t my supervisor, was a relief and has helped me develop a plan that guides my daily work.
Z.K – Spring 2026
I received feedback from work that I needed better stakeholder engagement strategies if I wanted to be successful in product management. By being specific in my mentorship application, I was paired with a mentor who was fantastic in creating scenarios and practice sessions where I could actively work on developing these skills. I’ve improved a lot in the three months – thanks to my mentor.
S.D – Fall 2025