WIM/WiN-SK has partnered with Everwise to provide mentorship and development opportunities for women in the Saskatchewan mining industry. This two-year program is funded by the International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) as part of their Diversity and Inclusion Challenge. The Diversity and Inclusion Challenge was developed to invest in innovative solutions designed to increase the number of women and indigenous people employed in the Saskatchewan minerals sector.
Mentorship was targeted because Research has shown that effective mentorship programs, tailored to individuals, can significantly increase employee engagement, retention, and productivity - ultimately helping us to achieve our goals. A more diverse and gender-balanced team can result in improved innovation, profits and company culture.
Each participant, in addition to the formal mentorship experience facilitated by Everwise, will gain access to the Gender Equity in Mining (GEM) Works - Learn to Make a Difference (Module 1 - The Importance of Gender Equity in Mining) course provided through MiHR. This e-learning course will supplement the mentorship program and help participants understand and articulate the business case for improved gender equity in Canada’s mining sector.
While many companies have developed internal programs to support women and help them advance in their careers, there is still room for improvement. Discussions with WIM/WiN-SK members show many women lack strong support systems and resources, especially at remote Operations – and as a result they leave the industry. Even worse, some women do not view mining as a career choice due to negative perceptions they may have of the industry.
“Our goal is to change the preconceptions women have of the mining industry,” said WIM/WiN-SK chair Anne Gent in a Feb. 1 press release. “We also strive to retain and promote the women already in the mining industry to realize their full potential”.
Update - We are now actively recruiting for Cohort 2!
The first phase of the program launched earlier in 2018 with 37 partnerships and we are so thrilled with the positive feedback we’ve received so far! It is our hope that this mentorship program will be valuable to our participants and become self-sustaining.
We are actively recruiting participants (both mentors and mentees) for the second phase which is set to launch in October. The deadline for mentors to apply is 3:00 pm CST on Friday, September 14, 2018. The deadline for mentees to apply is 12:00 am CST on Sunday, September 9, 2018. Mentees will be asked to submit a resume and will be able to link supporting materials such as websites, videos, LinkedIn profile, etc.
We will be selecting mentees and mentors for the program by Tuesday, October 2, 2018 and will notify applicants shortly after. Please find relevant application criteria and links in the resources section below.