In truth, mentoring dates back to at least 1500 BC when Odysseus appointed a wise man to teach and raise his son, Telemachus, while he was at the Trojan War. This wise man, who imparted wisdom and values, as well as information, was named Mentor. In the Old Testament, a mentoring relationship existed between Ruth and Naomi when Naomi helps Ruth to understand and survive in a strange new land.
Many professions have a reputation of eating their young .
This occurs when new members of the profession are left to struggle on their own, as they try and figure out the new workplace. Mentoring can provide the opportunity for experienced workers to help new hires to learn the ropes without getting burned. Mentoring is a deliberate pairing of a highly skilled individual with a less experienced person for the purpose of helping the less skilled person develop specific competencies. It differs from coaching. You can coach many people with varying levels of experience at the same time.