Jimmy Vo, an Occupational Safety Specialist in the Lab’s Environment, Health, and Safety Division, is beginning his fourth year in the Operations Mentorship Program. His journey to the Lab includes roles in EHS at UC Berkeley, instruction support at UC Riverside, safety at the Walt Disney Company, and work as an analytical chemist in the ophthalmic industry. Elements sat down with him to learn more about what keeps him coming back to the program.
What motivated you to participate as a mentee in the program?
I signed up for the program because I saw the robust portfolio of mentors and thought that I could learn something from them. It was overwhelming at first because I didn’t realize the extent of the available people and resources. I filled out the survey, hoping that they would be able to figure out who the best fit for me was from my answers.
My first mentor was David Topete, who was my mentor for two years in a row. He gave me valuable personal and professional advice regarding my plan to apply for the part-time Haas MBA program, such as the need to work harder at balancing work, life, and school. Before our discussions, I hadn’t fully understood the impact the program would make on my day-to-day life, but because he’d been there, he could see what was coming and gave me a great framework for thinking through it. The advice he gave me helped me prioritize things better and made me more reassured in my decision to pursue it. I still keep in touch with David, and we meet once every few months.
Overall, it’s been very helpful both work and school-wise to have people like David and my current mentor, Marge Rowan, with more life experience sharing what they do, what they don’t do, and what they would have done differently. The program has provided me with a very strong support system, and it’s been great.
What is the most unexpected thing you have learned from the experience?
The most unexpected thing I learned is that time is a zero-sum game. That’s an obvious statement, but listening to my mentors open up about their journeys — the choices they made and the things they wish they’d done differently — reinforced the message.
For example, David pursued his master’s over an extended period while prioritizing major family responsibilities, including raising children. He took a break, and then came back and finished, and it wasn’t a big deal. From this, I learned that it’s okay to prioritize personal things going on in your life. It worked out for him eventually, so that takes the pressure off me when I think of school and other career pathways.
When thinking about my situation, I feel like I was too close to it and wasn’t zooming out to see the bigger picture. It’s just perspective. It’s nice to be able to take a break, go back, reassess, and ask myself, do I need to do this now, or can I do this later? It’s good to hear from other people’s experiences.
Why do you think it is important that the Lab supports this type of program?
I have recommended this program to anyone who has asked because I’ve had a very positive experience that has contributed significantly to my personal growth. Hearing how others have structured their lives helps me with making my own decisions, which can then inform my career. I’ve also seen the program directly influence people’s career paths. In all, the program is important for those looking to advance their careers and gain insights into the opportunities here at the Lab, in addition to those looking for personal development, like me.
I worked with someone who recently retired after 30 years, who was a mentor in the program. If someone in their early career or even mid-career had a chance to learn from someone like that, I believe it would be extremely impactful.
I’m glad the program is expanding. The first year they rolled this out, I had a colleague who was not in an Operations Division who wanted to sign up for it, but couldn’t. So just from that one data point, you can see there’s interest outside of Operations to participate in the program.
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