PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
‘Before I talked to Lorna, I was shy and didn’t want my voice heard. I learned so much from her. It is not an exaggeration to say that she changed me, my life, and the way I see things.’ HELEN QU, P.ENG.
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SHARING STORIES — AND ADVICE -photo by Demetri Giannitsios Lorna Harron, P.Eng., founded the FEMINEN (Females in Engineering) program at Enbridge to improve the engagement and retention of the company’s female engineers. Mentoring is a key component of the program — the women support each other by sharing stories and advice on how to overcome workplace challenges.
LEADING THROUGH LEARNING: THE APEGA MENTORING CONFERENCE Professional development is an excellent way for mentors, mentees, and other mentoring supporters to learn new strategies for building stronger and more effective mentoring relationships. This year’s APEGA Mentoring Conference, November 2 and 3 in Calgary, will provide just such an opportunity. One of Western Canada’s major mentoring conferences, it’s returning after a two-year break. Leading Through Learning promises to be better than ever with a strong lineup of mentoring experts and inspiring keynote speakers. Also on tap are plenty of opportunities to network with the mentoring community and gain practical tips and strategies. Sam Barua, P.Eng., has attended the APEGA conference many times in the past. He’s a long-time mentor with APEGA’s Mentoring Program. “It’s a great way to refresh your knowledge and skills, and it’s always inspiring to learn from other mentors and mentees,” he says. “Like any new job or new skill, mentoring has to be learned and practised for you to become better at it.”
I’ve become a mentor.’ That’s a priceless moment for me.” One of his recent mentees, Russell Hoy, P.Eng., was a new mechanical engineering graduate in search of career guidance, when he was matched with Mr. Barua though the APEGA Mentoring Program. They would meet monthly, usually over coffee or at Mr. Barua’s office. “Sam definitely shed some light on different paths I could take. He helped me define what I needed to do to become a P.Eng. He also introduced me to other fields, such as project management,” says Mr. Hoy. At each session they would also discuss soft skills — things like negotiating, public speaking, and networking. Mr. Hoy was sent home with action items to follow- up on. To build his networking skills, for example, his homework included reading books on networking, as well as signing up for LinkedIn and creating different online networks for recruiters and fellow professionals in his field. He was also encouraged to attend networking events. Working with a mentor was enlighten- ing, says Mr. Hoy. And it built an enduring friendship — he and Mr. Barua continue to stay in touch, even though the formal part of their mentorship has ended. “I would definitely recommend the mentoring program to all new engineers.
Not only is it a great tool for understanding and developing soft skills, but you have the opportunity to build a solid relationship that will hopefully continue as you continue your career,” Mr. Hoy says. “Go into the experience with an open mind, and a willingness to learn. It's just like any relationship: You get out what you put in.” Those thoughts are echoed by Helen Qu, P.Eng. She was guided in her career development by a supportive mentor who pushed her outside her comfort zone. “Be open and willing to take advice and make changes, even though it may feel challenging at the beginning,” she says. Having a mentor was life changing, Ms. Qu says. She was working at Enbridge when she got an email about the company’s mentoring program. She quickly signed on and was matched with Lorna Harron, P.Eng. At the time, Ms. Qu wasn’t working in engineering, even though she had the required education and work experience. “Lorna saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself. She pointed out there was a better fit for my skillset, and she encouraged me to approach the right group within Enbridge and seek career development. It was not as hard as I thought it would be.” Ms. Qu had specifically asked to be paired with a female engineer — someone
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