Women at top of field mentor next generation
A pilot mentorship program aimed at expanding leadership opportunities for women was launched in Calgary on Wednesday.
The six-month program matches women with leaders in engineering, construction, finance, academics and business development.
“It’s really about giving unique mentorship opportunity and access to some amazing, accomplished women here in Calgary who have navigated the ropes to get ahead,” said Stephanie McLean, Alberta’s minister of status of women.
Officials said volunteer mentors will share advice, connections and opportunities to support their proteges’ career development.
The pilot is part of ongoing efforts to advance women’s equality “by tackling systemic barriers and deeply rooted gender biases that keep women out of leadership positions,” the ministry said in a release Wednesday.
“There’s more women in the Alberta workforce than in any other province, but at the end of the day, we still don’t have anywhere near to equal representation of women on corporate boards, for example,” McLean said. “When we talk about women in leadership, we know that men tend to get a senior role three to one for women in this province, and women are still making less than men in identical roles.”
The program is designed to help women create a learning plan with their mentors and take part in professional development sessions organized by the Ministry of Status of Women.
McLean said the pilot grew out of a grassroots discussion about the value of having connections and a network to rely on to navigate the issues women face in trying to get ahead.
Mary Moran, president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, said she thinks there is a gap in formal mentorship programs for women.
“I think whether they’re in public service, politics or in business … everybody can use a mentor,” she said. “Learning from women who have had a long career is actually really advantageous.”
Moran said she has been teamed up with a protege and is looking forward to learning from her.
“That really is my contribution back to the community and to women who have the aspiration to be leaders, is just to share what I’ve learned — and I think I can equally learn from them,” she said.
“It’s a two-way mentorship program, in my mind.”
The program will be evaluated in the spring of 2018 to determine if it should expand to other sectors or locations in Alberta. The pilot includes 14 participants.