Paalam is CTPA’s mentorship program that connects emerging and established Canadian professionals in the Tamil community. CTPA’s Mentorship Program provides individuals at any stage of their career with the resources, guidance and training required for a meaningful mentoring experience.

Paalam (பாலம்) is a Tamil word that means bridge. Paalam was established in 2013 on the foundational idea that through the sharing of knowledge, ideas and experiences, mentors and mentees can mutually impact each other’s lives. At CTPA, we believe Paalam is key to facilitating the growth and development of the Tamil community by building bridges between emerging and established professionals.

To date, we have paired

0

mentees and mentors!

Discover Frequently Asked Questions

Program Features

Our Mentorship team has worked to enhance the Paalam mentoring experience for both mentors and mentees.We have a wide range of programs designed to ensure participants get more value out of the mentorship program. These features are available to participants who are successfully paired.

Access to Mentee Directory

The Mentee directory will allow mentees to network laterally with other mentees in the program and in their industry. The directory will feature information on mentees such as educational background, career experience, and email information if you wish to connect and network with another mentee.

Group Coffee Chats

We will organize group coffee sessions where we bring together multiple mentee and mentor pairs to discuss relevant career themes. This will serve as a great opportunity for mentors and mentees to interact across mentorship pairs.

Feedback Surveys

Frequent feedback surveys will be sent out to mentors and mentees so that we can understand how your mentorship relationship is going and how we can better support you.

Get Involved!

Why Mentor?

  • Satisfaction of contributing to the Tamil community
  • Create meaningful impact in a emerging professional's career
  • Exposure to fresh perspective and ideas
  • Enhance leadership skills and embark on new challenges
Apply As Mentor

Why Be A Mentee?

  • Network with other professionals in the Tamil community
  • Develop and advance professional goals 
  • Gain guidance and support to face challenges and problem solve
  • Improve interpersonal skills
Apply As Mentee

How it works

The pairing process consists of three easy steps. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! 

  • Apply

    Participants apply to become a mentor or mentee using the appropriate application forms. We would like to learn more about your interest in mentorship as well as your experience and educational background.

    Registrations are now open and will be open all-year long. Although there are no ‘late’ applications, it is advised that mentees and mentors apply to the program as early as possible

  • Interview and Screening Process

    We will review your application and contact mentees for mentorship screening and the pairing procedure. Only mentees will be interviewed to identify their professional goals, interests and objectives with their mentorship experience.

  • Connect

    Once the interviews have taken place, the Paalam team will use this information to determine the ideal mentor based on shared and common skills and interests, industry alignment, level of experience.

    If a mentor is found, our team will facilitate an introduction between the mentor and mentee. The pair will then be responsible for their mentorship journey and coordinating time and commitment levels based on their individual schedule and needs. There is a $50.00 CAD program fee, if paired successfully.

    During the initial introduction, our team will provide resources to help mentors and mentees connect with each other, this is especially helpful for those who haven’t participated in a mentorship program prior to.


Sound like an experience you’re interested in? Registration is now open!

Program Overview

Hear what previous mentors and mentees had to say about their experience with Paalam!

  • "I joined Paalam because I was confused about my career choices and wanted someone with expertise and experience to discuss my options with. As a result I was paired up with an amazing Registered Nurse, and now I can be confident in saying I found a career that I am passionate and excited about. She not only is my mentor, but an awesome friend now."

    - Mentee

  • "Being very experienced in a similar career path that I want to take, my mentor was able to point out specific skills I needed to improve on. I am very grateful for pairing with a mentor that was very supportive of my career growth and had a wealth of knowledge to share."

    - Mentee

Frequently Asked Questions