Viewpoint: WiN Global launch global mentoring programme for nuclear
27 September 2023
At World Nuclear Symposium 2023, Women in Nuclear Global (WIN-Global) announced the launch of its global mentoring programme. "Mentoring is crucial in supporting career development, personal growth and promoting diverse and inclusive leadership in all areas of the nuclear industry," says WiN Global President Dominique Mouillot.
(Image: World Nuclear Association)
WiN Global has been working to support its membership through various ways and recognises the importance of mentorship as a vital element to professional development and leadership opportunities. WiN Global is now launching its Mentoring Programme, thanks to the hard work and dedication of a number of key volunteers. Callum Thomas, founder and CEO of Thomas Thor Associates, sat with the chair of this committee, Lisa McBride, to discuss the initiative.
So, Lisa, what motivated WiN Global to launch this initiative?
We are constantly looking at how we can support people joining and developing their careers in the nuclear sector, and there are many examples of successful mentoring programmes within organisations and countries. To complement these programmes we felt that there was an opportunity to elevate this idea to the global level. We enjoy the benefits of being a truly global sector, so this is perfectly aligned with the culture of international collaboration. The sector is growing at an unprecedented rate and we see this mentoring programme as key to attracting, developing and retaining the workforce.
That makes perfect sense, so who is the mentoring programme for?
I would like to start by saying that the mentoring programme is open to everyone in the sector, not just women. Mentoring can add value in so many ways. From a mentee perspective, you could be new to the sector and looking to benefit from the experience of others, you could be moving to a new job role or geography, moving into a new discipline or developing as a leader. From a mentor perspective, you may be motivated by helping others and giving something back to the sector. In the spirit of continuous development, we can always learn from others and individuals can switch between being a mentor or mentee as their career evolves.
What an inclusive approach. So, how will it work in practice?
It's really straight forward. The platform we are using, MentorCity, allows mentors and mentees to register and set up a profile. As part of the registration, individuals can choose to be a mentee, mentor, or both. They can also indicate what their areas of experience are and their objectives for a mentoring relationship. The platform then matches mentors and mentees. Short videos embedded on the platform will help mentors and mentees understand how to establish and maintain successful mentoring relationships and provide practical tips and guidance.
That sounds very straight forward. Are there any costs involved?
No, the mentoring programme is free to join for mentors and mentees. We ask that anyone joining is thorough in completing the registration so that the mentor/mentee matching is optimised, and then invests the time and effort required to develop effective mentoring relationships.
What are the benefits to joining this global mentoring programme?
Benefits for mentees include supporting professional and career development goals, seeking advice and guidance from industry peers and leaders, and expanding networks in the sector to gain a broader perspective.
Benefits for mentors include the opportunity to develop future talent in the industry, an opportunity to give back and a way of developing and refining mentoring, coaching and leadership skills. Similar to the benefits of mentees, mentors can also expand networks in the industry and gain broader industry perspective.
What are the next steps for anyone interested?
You must be a member of WiN Global to enroll. If you are not already a WiN Global member, no worries, it is open to all genders and membership is free. You can sign up and register to participate in the mentoring programme here.