Women in Technology Mentor Program Concludes with Eight Matches, Stronger Relationships

PROVIDENCE, RI  – Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s IT & Bioscience industry association announces the completion of its Woman in Technology (WIT) peer-to-peer Mentorship Program.  During the nine-month program, eight matches were made between experienced and up-and-coming professional women in the IT and Bioscience industries. Participants shared best practices, answered questions, offered advice and leadership, and provided support in oftentimes male-dominated fields.

The WIT Mentorship Program was designed and supported by industry representatives and members of the WIT Committee. The Committee paired mentors and mentees based on a self-evaluation of their professional and personal strengths and areas of desired growth. The six main areas of growth were similarly focused on: time management, professional development, personal goal setting, decision making, career development, and confidence building.

Paired mentors and mentees supported each other throughout the program length, connecting via lunch or after-work meetings, networking events, invitations to company tours or onsite learning opportunities, and via online tools such as LinkedIn.

“Many of the challenges I was experiencing, my mentor had previously experienced,” said Sara Bell, project manager at Amgen. “She was able to give great advice and strategies for me to better navigate my work life as well as my personal life.  The program was a great way to network outside of my company and get different perspectives.”

Amy Ells, vice president of business development for netsense, said: “Being a mentor helps validate your experiences – the things that you handled well in your career as well as those instances where you realized you should have done or said something differently. Sharing your experiences and knowledge to help someone work through their experience is very rewarding.”

“Being a part of the development of this program from inception has been truly remarkable,” said Melissa Punchak, manager of organizational programs for Tech Collective. “I was able to witness the participants grow both professionally and personally as well as build lasting relationships with each other. I truly appreciate their enthusiasm to explore new opportunities, and that openness is what has made the Mentorship Program such a success.”

An end-of-program event was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2003 at the Eleven Forty Nine Restaurant in East Greenwich. The event was sponsored by netsense.

The 2013-2014 Mentorship Program session will kick-off with an information session on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Rhode Island Foundation. For more information and to participate in the Mentorship Program, visit www.tech-collective.org.

About Woman In Technology

As a supporting program in line with the Tech Collective’s mission to inspire, engage, educate and employ a burgeoning technological and knowledge economy in Rhode Island, the Women In Technology committee will specifically focus on inspiring and collaborating with women in the technology field or transitioning into the technology field within Rhode Island to foster growth both personally and professionally, through education, training, networking and common support.

About Tech Collective
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Information Technology and Bioscience Industry Association. Uniting industry, government and academic stakeholders, our mission is to inspire, engage, educate and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $8M in federal, state and private grant funding to foster industry collaboration, awareness and development through events and initiatives including: Tech10, GRRL Tech, Women in Technology, Bio-Ed, and STEM-based education and training programs for K-16 students as well as incumbent and transitioning workers. Get connected to Tech Collective at www.tech-collective.org, on Facebook (TechCollectiveRI), and on Twitter (@Tech_Collective).

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