OSPE to launch pilot engineering mentorship program for women

While the numbers have been improving, the engineering profession still remains a non-traditional career for women. In Canada, women represent approximately 18% of engineering graduates but only 13% of the engineering workforce. And although some 400 women receive licenses each year in Ontario, they represent 10% of all Ontario license-holders.

To help boost those numbers, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) announced it will create a two-year Pilot Mentorship Program designed to support women who are in the early stages of their engineering careers. With funding from Status of Women Canada (SWC), the project will include both online and face-to-face mentorship initiatives in collaboration with partners in the engineering community.

With its partners — including Professional Engineers Ontario, Ontario Network of Women in Engineering and Canadian Centre for Women in Engineering, Trades and Technology — OSPE’s program will focus on supporting both Canadian-trained and internationally trained female engineers during the early years of their careers. Protégées will be paired with mentors who have obtained their P.Eng. and have at least five years’ experience in the profession.

An online mentorship platform, as well as face-to-face events, will support mentors in providing practical advice and guidance to recent graduates or Engineers in Training. This support will be offered in four key areas: Obtaining licensure, career planning, entrepreneurship, and enhancing professional networks.

The pilot program will also expand OSPE’s Engineering Professional Success webinar series to address these topics and add post-webinar mentoring teleconferences that foster further professional dialogue.
www.ospe.on.ca/?page=mentorship_about