The Impact of Mentorship from Retired Industry Experts on Skill Development and Career Readiness in Early-Career Professionals

Abstract

As the global economy evolves and industries face rapid transformation, early-career professionals must develop a diverse set of technical and soft skills to remain competitive. However, formal education and entry-level training often fall short in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and workplace readiness. This research paper explores the growing relevance and impact of mentorship programs led by retired industry experts in addressing this skill gap. Drawing on global case studies, academic literature, and workforce development models, the paper investigates how mentorship from seasoned professionals contributes to technical proficiency, critical thinking, confidence building, and long-term career development. Retired mentors bring not only institutional memory and real-world insights but also a unique pedagogical approach shaped by decades of experience. Furthermore, the intergenerational exchange fosters mutual learning, preserves domain-specific knowledge, and cultivates leadership skills among mentees. This paper also evaluates key challenges, such as relevance of outdated practices, generational differences, and scalability of such mentorship models. Through a mixed-method synthesis of mentorship programs across sectors like technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and business, the paper ultimately concludes that structured mentorship with retired professionals is an underutilized but highly effective tool for fostering career readiness and advancing workforce sustainability in the 21st century.