September 2007 Issue
PD SPOTLIGHT
You and Your Association Advance Mentoring
The APEGGA Mentoring Program is growing, improving — and looking ahead. Here’s an update on where it’s been, where it is and where it’s headed
BY ARLENE LACK
Mentoring Coordinator
______________________
The real story, the universal story, is that we all stand upon
another set of shoulders.”
- Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington
It’s said that the tree planted in an old forest’s clearing grows
more successfully than the one in a freshly cultivated field. Roots follow the
pathways created by predecessors, sometimes even intertwining with those of the
more mature trees to share resources and create even stronger trees.
When it comes to how we grow and mature in our lives and careers, people aren’t
all that different from trees. We thrive best in the presence of those who have
been doing similar work for years.
This is something that your Association recognizes. You are part of a professional
organization that values mentoring and is prepared to provide support for your
mentoring relationships.
Our Program’s Roots
There have always been mentors in society, but we have not necessarily named
or recognized them as such in our lives. Mentors inspire us and help us reach
new heights in our careers and in our personal lives.
If we look at successful people we know, we can be certain that they had
powerful and positive influences in their lives. We all need someone to cheer
us on and give us a push in the right direction.
Most of us have experienced the influences of someone who believed in us and
helped us succeed. A mentor is a great gift whose time and expertise are invaluable.
Your Council understands the importance of mentors and mentoring. In fact, Council approved in June the Outstanding Mentor of the Year Summit Award. This is the outcome of much effort to raise the visibility and status of a significant APEGGA program.
This strong message from Council to all members about the value of mentoring will be a lasting inspiration and incentive for APEGGA members. Just as the mentoring of several protégés is a legacy experienced members leave to their profession, so too the elevation of the designation “mentor” will be a legacy from this Council to future members.
Begun in March 2004, the APEGGA Mentoring Program has risen and fallen in size with the tremendous boom in the Alberta economy. However, there seems to be a growing awareness that an increasingly busy workplace increases the need for mentoring. New grads and internationally educated grads must be brought up to speed quickly, and mentoring is the ideal tool.
With vigorous promotion and the initiation of recruitment activities, the program has now grown almost to its pre-boom size. And we anticipate even more growth.
Over 160 members are paired in mentoring matches, while another 100 or so registrants, both protégés and mentors, await matches or are temporarily on hold because of career workload. Another 40 members have recently expressed commitment to the program in writing, but have not yet registered, and more members register each day.
Leaders in Mentoring
Your Association is also positioning itself as a national leader in mentoring.
Last year we held our first annual National Mentoring Conference in Edmonton,
focused primarily on assisting program co-ordinators in developing and enhancing
their programs.
Presenters and delegates came from all over Canada and N.W.T. They were engineers, geologists and geophysicists. They were lawyers, pharmacists, health care professionals, accountants, social workers and psychologists. And they filled the 135-seat venue — we had to turn away a few late registrants.
Delegates had much praise for the information and networking value of the conference and many expressed an interest in returning to future conferences. Over the last few months, inquiries have been coming in from government departments, provincial associations and engineering companies from other provinces, seeking information on the next conference.
Here it is. Under the theme Celebrating Mentors, the conference will be held
in Calgary. It opens with a banquet on the evening of Oct. 25, followed by a
full day of presentations and seminars on Oct. 26.
Jim Beckett, P.Eng., a member of Council and a senior manager at ATCO, will address
banquet delegates. Several mentors will be recognized with testimonials from
protégés. Morning speakers have been drawn from the ranks of members
and non-members honoured by various organizations for their outstanding contributions
in mentoring.
Presentations will focus on providing tools for enhancing mentoring skills and recharging mentors. Rachelle Lee of Einblau & Associates will present on these topics in the afternoon. We will conclude with an overview of the APEGGA Aboriginal mentoring program.
How the Program is Improving
Keys to the APEGGA Mentoring Program’s growing success include user-friendly
mentoring tools (continually being enhanced), the establishment of a designated
coordinator, and the commencement of several supportive activities for program
members.
Recently piloted evening information sessions in Edmonton and Calgary drew over 30 new protégés, all of them eager to learn about the templates used in the program. Participants told us they appreciated the working sessions on developing goals, objectives and action plans.
Over the last 12 months separate coaching sessions for protégés and mentors helped them better understand what is expected of them in the program, as well as the ranges of learning styles and generational values they might encounter.
This fall, we will pilot “mentoring circles.” The evening activity will have matched pairs networking and learning about best practices.
As you can see, mentoring has a bright future at APEGGA. We encourage you to take full advantage of what we have to offer.
MORE INFORMATION
Arlene Lack
Mentoring Coordinator
alack@apegga.org
Phone 1-800-661-7020
Or 780-426-3990
Ext. 2820