Impact of mentoring on the likelihood of getting jobs in the agricultural sector in Benin

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the impact of mentoring programs on the likelihood of getting a job in the agricultural sector after a one-year experiment conducted in Benin. The program provides graduates in agriculture-related fields with capacity building (digital skills, job search skills, and interpersonal skills) – as well as the support of a professional who is either a junior (junior model) or a senior (senior model) – as they seek jobs. The evaluation framework followed a mixed-methods design that incorporated survey data and qualitative data. The findings from the randomised controlled trial (RCT) showed a positive impact of the senior mentoring model, which increased the likelihood of getting a job in the agricultural sector by 16.4 per cent. In addition, the senior mentoring model had more impact on the likelihood of getting a job for both genders with an increase of 18.7 per cent for men and 11.9 per cent for women. Furthermore, mentees valued receiving practical career-related assistance, a realistic perspective on the workplace, and psychological and emotional support. The study suggests the need for a comprehensive policy package by policymakers and the institutionalisation of a formal mentoring program by youth-serving organisations based on the senior model.

KEYWORDS:

• Mentoring
• agriculture graduates
• job
• impact evaluation
• gender
• randomised controlled trial

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), based in Canada [grant number 109085-001].