A Note about Mentorship

How many of you have had really amazing managers who were actually less of a boss and more of a mentor? I can recall a few but one such memorable manager used to give me a lot of great advice on my career and helped me see the world a little bit differently. She used to always tell me that even though she and I decided to not go for traditional careers or careers where one would be given a title such a doctor, lawyer and engineer, there is always potential to make such as big an impact.

I personally don’t believe one career path is better than the other. We all have different skills and interests and it’s really about what suits each one of us. Regardless of what path we choose, we should commit to constant learning and change. I, for example, didn’t pursue a regular career path. I used to think Dentistry was a great field but it didn’t work out for me, and it was probably for the best. If I think back to my days working as a dental assistant, I probably wouldn’t be having as much fun as I’m having right now being part of SCWIST and making so many fantastic friends. My mentors helped me discover this.

The reason I’ve been happy with my choices and feeling confident about my path is that I’ve had many mentors and sponsors helping me out on the way. I can’t even begin to tell you the kind of impact they have had on me. That’s why I believe in mentoring others and I encourage you to do so too. You might feel that you need some mentorship and guidance but so do the others in our circles. We often learn more about ourselves through the mentorship of others and it becomes a never-ending, positive cycle.

I’m so excited about the grant we received from Status of Women Canada last month. This grant is going to allow SCWIST to build a formal mentorship network which will help our members as well as the greater community of women in science and technology obtain the tools they need to become leaders. This program will be our legacy and you can be part of it too! Get mentored and be a mentor because there’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve been able to positively impact someone else’s life.

If you would like to get more involved in this project or to meet some potential mentors through SCWIST’s network, I would encourage you to sign up as a volunteer for one of our committees. Get networking today because you never know who you’re going to meet and who you’re going to help!