A record number of engineers has signed on to mentor undergraduate women studying engineering and information technology for the 2014 Lucy Mentoring Program at UTS.
The 2014 program has won the support of 20 engineers and 25 IT professionals from 17 industry partners, including Alcatel, Westpac, CBA, Cisco, IBM, Lend Lease, and Stonebridge Systems. Six past mentors are volunteering again, and some for a third or fourth time.
Adriana Carvalho of Alcatel said, "Looking from the outside, you might ask what difference would it make to mentor one female university student? The gender problem in IT and telecommunications is big and complex, but when I see each year's graduates it's clear to me that the sum of all our individual efforts has significant impact not only on these students, but for the industry as a whole."
It was a challenge to find engineers to match the number of IT mentors according to Program Lead, Imogen Aitken.
"We are very excited to have attracted so much support this year. It is proof of the program's recognition and credibility that we have 45 mentors from across industry willing to commit time during their busy working lives."
Lucy Mentoring is now in its fifth year at UTS, giving second-year engineering and IT women students the chance to spend 35 hours over four months in guided experience with mentors in diverse settings such as construction sites, secure data centres, laboratories and project teams across Sydney.
At the program launch Maria Ternezis, Head of Technology Execution and Optimisation Technology at Westpac, shared rich insights from her extensive experience in banking and technology including with Lend Lease, Deutsche Bank, Barclays and a software start-up.
In "too many roles to count", she has worked in research, marketing, finance, the trading floor, the back office, communications, risk and technology. Maria said she had "coded, analysed, project-managed, written, designed, played with gadgets and delivered theory."
She encouraged the young mentees to be role models to help to change the workforce. "When you have children you will be a role model to them. How else do you change the culture at work if you're not role models in the business?"
Maria confided that she had also suffered spectacular failures and at least one hostile manager, but that she had been able to find success in constant change, with great sponsors, while being true to herself and having a family with the support of her husband.
Women in Engineering and IT Program Director Bronwyn Holland said a focussed mentoring opportunity can motivate students to make the most of the investment they have made in a challenging choice of study.
"Women report that the key factors that decide whether they will stay or leave an organisation within five years are flexible working conditions, career development, workplace culture and pay equity with male peers," Ms Holland said.
"Having an awareness of best contemporary practice and workplace environment and conditions from a quality mentoring experience can improve a graduate's decision-making while also growing new leaders in technology and enterprise."
The 2014 Lucy mentees will be presenting on their experience and graduating in October.
- Lucy Mentoring, now in its fifth year at UTS, has won increased support from engineering and IT professionals from industry partners including Alcatel, Westpac, CBA, Cisco, IBM, Lend Lease, and Stonebridge Systems
- The program is giving second-year engineering and IT women students the chance to spend 35 hours over four months in guided experience with industry mentors