Mentoring of Senior Women Engineers

Experiences andLessons Learnt

Louise Round

Aurecon

ICWES 20 July 2011

Office locations

Outline

• Why did Aurecon mentor its Senior Women?

• What did Aurecon do?• Key outcomes• Successes of the program• Mutual Mentoring

Why did Aurecon Mentor its Senior Female Executives?

• Provide a bigger pool of potential female board members

• To save AUD1.8 million per annum

What did Aurecon do?

• Aim of the Senior Female Executive mentoring program

• Program phases

1 Pairing

3 Mentoring tips

5 Monthly meetings

7 Review

2 Invitation

4 First meeting

6 Mid term feedback

Expected outcomes

• Aurecon’s program

– Detailed information for participants

– CEO support

– Constraint on the program

• Assisting Executive women in their development

• Increased visibility with the senior leaders

Key outcomes – mid program

• All mentees had benefited

• Exposure to the senior leader

• Strategic view of their career.

Key outcomes – End program

• Mentees

– Receiving advice

– Directly receiving information

• Mentors

– Happy to continue

• Recommendations

Successes of the Program

• Exposure to the Board Members

• Lessons learnt

– Sufficient training

– Networking opportunity

Mutual Mentoring

Female Staff as a Percentage of all Staff

NZ Public Service

All Staff

2010

Aurecon

Professionals2011

Overall Organisation 58.7% 17.3%

Public Service – All Managers

Aurecon Level 5 and above

47.4% 12.8%

Public Service – Senior Mgmt (CE + Tier 2 & 3)

Aurecon Level 7 and above

39.8% 7.2%

Public Service Chief Executive

Aurecon Executive Level 9 and 10

16.1% 2.2%

Mutual Mentoring - continued

• Each participant is both mentor and mentee

• Professions where balanced numbers of men and women graduate but few are in Senior Management positions

Conclusions

• Mentoring of Senior Female Executives achieved its aim

• Potential for mutual mentoring

Any Questions?