QLD WEN Mentoring Program – 2025
Applications for Mentors & Mentees Now open!
Objectives
The QLD WEN Mentoring Program aims to create productive mentoring partnerships for women in economics by linking Mentors with Mentees. The program will provide participants with constructive opportunities to reflect on and expand on their professional objectives, capabilities, skills and networks.
The QLD WEN Mentoring Program aligns with and feeds into the broader objectives of the Women in Economics Network by:
- Professionally connect and support the career development of women in economics
- Increase the representation of women at all levels of the economics profession
- Promote public contributions by female economists
- Encourage more young women to study and work in the field of economics
Benefits for Mentees
- Opportunity to meet a professional with experience and expertise in your area of interest
- Can gain advice and guidance about career/professional ideas and challenges, thereby helping them to make more informed career choices and decisions
- Provides scope for increased professional and career development as well as confidence moving and progressing forward
- Can assist with professional growth and career planning and provide an opportunity to reflect on professional challenges and achievements
- May help with building and growing networks
- Can get invaluable feedback on key documents such as Resumes, Job Applications, etc.
- May assist Mentees to keep updated and more aware of pertinent issues and trends
Benefits for Mentors
- Share your knowledge and experience with Mentee(s) - Develop your leadership, communication and management skills further
- Enhance your professional recognition and reputation –
- Develop closer relationships, contacts and networks with a younger generation
- Have an opportunity to spot and collaborate with talented early- and mid-career economic students and professionals
- Revitalised enthusiasm, reflection, focus and affirmation of your skills, expertise and career experience
- Can help gain further ability and experience in explaining the scope of your skills, expertise and experience to others
- Increased awareness and skills for promoting and facilitating inclusiveness and leadership
- Assisting and supporting another individual in terms of their professional development and career progress is often an extremely rewarding process
- May help Mentors stay abreast and more aware of relevant emerging issues and challenges facing others
- Further development of mentoring skills such as listening, asking questions, guiding, providing feedback, communication and interpersonal skills
Eligibility Criteria for Mentees
- A female member of QLD WEN.
- Tertiary Economics Students, Early Career Economics Researchers & Economics Professionals with less than 10 years career experience.
- Can commit to liaising with an assigned Mentor on at least 6 occasions over a 12-month period.
- Will be respectful in observing and maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality in all aspects of the Mentee-Mentor relationship.
- Has the capacity, availability and commitment to work with a mentor.
Eligibility Criteria for Mentors
- Any Gender (We welcome all potential senior economists to be Mentors)
- Preferably a Member of QLD WEN (not required!)
- Able to be understanding and helpful to assisting the Mentee(s) with achieving specific objectives and can be sensitive to aims, goals and needs
- Can commit to liaising with an assigned Mentor on at least 6 occasions over a 12-month period.
- Has the capacity, confidence and availability to support and work with the Mentee(s)
- Will be respectful in observing and maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality in all aspects of the Mentee-Mentor relationship
Expectations for Mentors & Mentees
- Flexible approach to mentoring relationship – relying on Mentors and Mentees to determine the frequency and duration of mentoring sessions.
- Participate in the program for 12 months.
- Attend the launch event of the QLD WEN Mentoring Program.
- Participate in the mid-year event hosted to support career progression of all QLD WEN Members.
Note: each of the Mentoring pairs will be responsible for scheduling meetings, developing goals for the year, determining topics for discussion at each meeting, completing any actions identified. The QLD WEN Mentoring Program will provide assistance and updates throughout the year of mentoring.
We strongly recommend that Mentee and Mentors liaise directly with each other at least 6 times over a 12-month period.
Application Process
Prospective Mentees and Mentors will be asked to complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) Form to assess their eligibility for the program and to also collect more information about what they are looking for from participating in the QLD WEN Mentoring Program and details about what they are optimally looking for in a mentoring partner.
The process for matching Mentees with Mentors within the QLD WEN Mentoring Program will be based upon the information gathered and collated from the EOI’s. The QLD WEN Mentoring Program aims to match Mentees based on their objectives for being mentored with the appropriate Mentor who has professional experiences and expertise that matches mentee objectives.
Any individual who submits an EOI Form will be advised about their eligibility to participate in the QLD WEN Mentoring Program within 10 Business Days of when they initially submitted their EOI Form. The matching process will occur within three weeks of the EOI’s closing, with all Mentors and Mentees confirming the match prior to the WEN QLD Mentoring Program launch event.
FAQs
What is a Mentoring Program?
Mentorship is a developmental relationship in which one person, usually more experienced or senior (who is known as a Mentor), takes time to assist the career, professional or personal development of someone else (often referred to as a Mentee). Often constructive mentoring relationships are ones that are built on trust, in which there is an exchange of knowledge, experience and goodwill.
Is there any cost to apply or to be in the QLD WEN Mentoring Program?
There is no application or participation fee for Mentees or Mentors to be a part of the QLD WEN Mentoring Program
What if the matching with my Mentor/Mentee doesn’t work?
In the unlikely event that you feel an inappropriate matching has taken place, please notify QLD WEN so that we can liaise with both parties to explore alternate options. If appropriate and where possible, a new match can then be identified and facilitated.
Still not sure? Contact us: wenmentoring@esaqld.org.au
