2025_EML Capstone Projects

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Mentor Link Solutions: A Hybrid Mentorship and Knowledge Retention Model

organization would see tremendous benefit from features such as tagging, searchability, and integration

with a wider array of collaboration platforms. The NASA Knowledge Management Toolkit provides a

strong model for improving the tool throughout the implementation life cycle (Insight, 2024).

7. Future Enhancements

Once adequate iteration has occurred, the program should be expanded to include additional

methods for capturing tacit knowledge that goes beyond traditional mentorship and documentation.

This may include extensive video libraries. Interactive job walkthroughs with virtual reality, or AI

supported tagging to aid in discovering documentation.

An additional enhancement would be to explore how to conduct mentorship and knowledge

retention in remote or hybrid work environments, given the changes in information flow compared to

in-person workplaces.

Conclusion

This capstone project addressed a significant challenge in engineering organizations: the loss of

institutional knowledge due to workforce transitions. By designing a hybrid mentorship and knowledge

retention program, we created a scalable solution that integrates human-centered learning with

accessible documentation. Our feasibility analysis demonstrated strong technical, operational, and

financial viability, and our implementation plan offered a phased approach adaptable to organizations of

varying sizes. Survey data and literature review confirmed that structured mentorship improves

onboarding and productivity, while embedded documentation practices support long-term retention of

tacit knowledge. The result is a sustainable model that not only preserves critical expertise but also

strengthens professional development, collaboration, and agility within engineering teams. Going

forward, this solution provides a consulting-ready framework that can evolve with emerging

technologies and workforce needs.