Mentorship program
Eight weeks. One real project.
A selective program for high school students who want to go beyond exploring a career and start doing the work.
- Applications
- Opens November 1, 2026
- Application deadline
- December 19, 2026
- Decisions sent
- January 2, 2027
- Program starts
- January 9, 2027
- Program ends
- March 6, 2027
Why the program exists
Panels help you find out what a career is like. The mentorship program is the next step: eight weeks in which our general mentors help you explore different niches, you learn how to network and find a personalized mentor of your own, and you carry a project of your own from a problem to a final presentation.
What you will leave with
- A finished project and a final presentation you can talk about
- Practice scoping a problem, researching it, and improving your work from feedback
- A clearer picture of how one industry works and whether it suits you
- The networking skills to find and approach a personalized mentor of your own
The eight-week curriculum
Week 1
Orientation and goal setting
Meet the cohort, learn how the program runs, and set the goals you will be measured against at the end.
Week 2
Industry foundations
How your chosen industry works: who the customers are, how organizations are structured, and what roles exist.
Week 3
Professional skills
Communicating clearly, networking and reaching out to professionals, managing your time, and asking for and using feedback.
Week 4
Problem identification
Find a real problem in your industry worth working on and define it precisely.
Week 5
Research and development
Gather evidence, study how others have approached the problem, and plan your own solution.
Week 6
Project execution
Build the first complete version of your project.
Week 7
Feedback and iteration
Present work in progress, take feedback, and improve it.
Week 8
Final presentation and reflection
Present the finished project and reflect on what you learned and what comes next.
Who can apply
- You are currently a high school student (grades 9 to 12)
- A parent or guardian knows you are applying and can be contacted about the program
- You can take part for all eight weeks
How we choose
- Motivation: a clear, specific reason for wanting to take part
- Goals: you can say what you want to learn or build
- Commitment: realistic availability for the full eight weeks
- Care: thoughtful answers in your own words
- Prior experience is welcome but is not required and is not scored above the other criteria
Selection process
Apply
Complete the online application while applications are open.
Review
The Ventrix review team reads every application against the selection criteria listed on this page.
Decision
We email each applicant and their parent or guardian with a decision, whatever the outcome.
What the program is not
Ventrix mentorship is a learning program. Our general mentors guide the whole cohort rather than being assigned to individual students; instead, the program teaches you how to network and find a personalized mentor yourself. Taking part does not guarantee an internship, a job, a placement with any company, or a recommendation. Anything a cohort does offer beyond the curriculum will be stated on this page before applications open.