THE DIVERSITY IN MINING ISSUE | 2021
SKILLS & DEVELOPMENT
International Women in Resources
MENTORING PROGRAMME Many women dream of a career in the mining industry, but don’t have the knowledge and resources to help them realise their dream. International Women in Resources Mentoring Programme is a global cross-company mentoring programme for women in mining developed and run by International Women in Mining.
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he International Women in Resources Mentoring Programme (IWRMP) was launched in 2018 with the aim of empowering women working in the resources sector across all functions and continents. The programme provides participants with the opportunity to connect with successful senior members of the industry as mentors, who are in a position to empower and promote them from a professional and personal development perspective. By boosting their vision, confidence and outlook, IWRMP supports participants’ careers and their capacity to positively influence the mining sector. This will help develop a pipeline of future leaders in the industry and promote a more inclusive and diverse industry. Info about the programme IWRMP provides a high-quality framework that facilitates the mentoring relationship and allows both mentee and mentor to benefit from the experience. The focus of mentorship is on setting career goals and plans and achieving them. IWRMP strategically aligns mentors with mentees. It comes with a structured format that provides the highest level of support and regular engagement milestones throughout the programme. IWRMP offers a tailored three-hour training session and guidance to both mentors and mentees at the outset. Each mentee is to have at least six sessions with their mentor. The programme also offers four monthly webinars to focus the mentees on additional leadership topics and global opportunities for participants to connect and network. Because mentees and mentors often hail from different places, communities and disciplines, the relationships also serve to reduce cross-cultural
barriers. IWRMP promoters ensure that women from all continents participate, including those from developing countries’ markets. Scholarship opportunity IWRMP also offers scholarship opportunities that provide partial or full funding for pioneering initiatives related to women in the mining industry. To qualify for the scholarship, one needs to be a woman working in, with and around the mining sector and wishing to further their career, at all seniority levels and across all professions. Eligible candidates also need to have at least five years’ experience in mining and be 25 years of age with a university degree, technical college qualification or trade training. Candidates will need to commit to a six-month programme, which includes training, six to nine sessions with a mentor, preparation and follow-up sessions, as well as webinars and a final evaluation. Potential candidates with an industry sponsor and who can self-fund their participation in IWRMP will not be considered for the programme. IWRMP also engages with globally recognised industry sponsors to contribute to a mentoring programme that aligns with their values in diversity and inclusion.
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