Mentoring

EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS / RETURNERS / SHIFTERS

MENTEE EOI 2023

Are you an early career STEM professional, a STEM returner, a STEM career shifter, and a woman of colour? Do you feel like you need additional support and guidance to reach your career goals? The STEM Sisters Mentoring Program is here to help!

Our year-long group mentoring program is designed specifically for women of colour who are looking to advance their careers, gain new skills, or transition into new areas of STEM. Our program provides an opportunity for mentees to connect with a group of mentors and peers who can offer valuable insights and perspectives.

As a mentee in our program, you’ll have access to regular group meetings, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and professional development workshops. You’ll be matched with a mentor who has experience in your field of interest and who can provide guidance and support throughout the program. Plus, you’ll have access to customized mentoring matches based on your areas of interest and career goals.

Our program is open to women of colour from all STEM fields, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Whether you’re looking to gain new skills, transition into a new area of STEM, or advance your career, our program can provide the support and resources you need to succeed.

Don’t let the challenges of early career STEM life hold you back! Apply now to become a mentee in the STEM Sisters Mentoring Program. We can’t wait to help you achieve your goals and reach your full potential in STEM.

You’ll be mentored on:

  • Professional Development Opportunities  
  • Career Growth 
  • Enhancing leadership capacity – Workplace 
  • Securing Promotions 
  • Career Connections 
  • Overcoming Obstacles  

Program Features:

  • 12-week program
  • Mentor-Mentee orientation and training
  • Clear defined goals
  • Strong mentor-mentee matches
  • Measurable results
  • Access to a fully integrated mentoring platform

early career professional

MENTORING PROGRAM STRUCTURE

This will be an opportunity for mentors, mentees, members and supporters of the STEM Sisters to meet each other.

Mentees are the ones who “steer the ships” of their lives and careers. Through this training, mentees will acquire useful skills to benefit from the valuable experience of the paired mentor. The techniques on how to better identify and achieve your personal and professional development goals are discussed (GROW model).

Mentor-Mentee introductory meet-up (arranged independently by participants).

The networking event will provide an opportunity to network with other mentees and mentors and also an opportunity to listen to industry speakers and networking opportunities for industry, education, STEM outreach, STEM marketing and research.

What professional skills do you need to work on?  

Discuss with your mentor other development opportunities that could assist you in moving closer to your goal, big or small. Do you need to work on writing professional emails? Or, wanting to upskill in something more technical.  

Most of the time, there is more to one’s career than a linear upwards trajectory. Brainstorm your career goals with your mentor, and discuss how your mentor is where they are now. Think about small frequent steps that could assist you in the long run, what comes to mind for your particular STEM field? 

There are multitudes of different types of leadership capabilities. From accountability, creativity or innovation, self-leadership, severt-leadership, collaboration, motivation, empowerment and many others, explore with your mentor how these capabilities can assist you in stepping up to management levels.   

Brainstorm how promotions work in your particular STEM field with your mentor, and discuss how to embed those skills and strategies into your current work. 

The networking event will provide an opportunity to network with other mentees and mentors and also an opportunity to listen to industry speakers and networking opportunities for industry, education, STEM outreach, STEM marketing and research.

Have you ever thought about building your network? Networking in Australia is the way to secure career connections. Discuss with your mentor how to go about making connections in your desired career direction. Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile and ask your mentor to review and connect with you. Put a plan together on how you can reach out to at least 2 new connections this week.  

What has been coming up at work that stops you from progressing? Discuss your work environment with your mentor to figure out the elements of your career that could be holding you back. Remember to focus on what you can do to improve things. 

The closing of the mentoring program is just as important as the opening. It’s a chance to celebrate the learnings and achievements of mentees, thank the mentors for their energy, share what has been learned, and discuss the next steps.