Workplace mentors
A workplace mentor is an individual that supports your development in the workplace and reviews your progress and achievements at work. They are responsible for evaluating whether you have met the performance objectives set by ACCA, and for confirming or signing off your performance objectives when they have been achieved.
Your workplace mentor should be someone that you work closely with, who knows what work activities you are completing and the quality of your work. Ideally, this would be someone like your line manager. You must ensure you have a workplace mentor to support you when gaining your relevant practical experience. Your workplace mentor should be a qualified accountant. They do not have to be ACCA-qualified as long as they are a member of an accountancy or audit body that is recognised by law in the country in which you choose to work.
If this is not possible, ACCA will allow someone who is familiar with your work with experience and/or a qualification relevant to the performance objective under review to be your workplace mentor. However this is on an exception-only basis and the trainee development matrix (TDM) would flag your records for PER audit purposes.
You and your workplace mentor will be responsible for:
- selecting which performance objectives you should work towards achieving
- setting targets in terms of performance and timescales
- providing access to appropriate work experience and supporting your development
- evaluating and reviewing your progress on a regular and ongoing basis
- signing-off performance objectives that you have achieved.
Further support for both you and your mentor is available through myACCA. These include support sheets and case studies which will help you to work effectively together.