Posted on March 16, 2021
The Western Dredging Association is pleased to announce that we have developed a mentorship program. This is a private program that is only available to WEDA members. If you are uncertain as to the status of your membership, please contact us at Info@WesternDredging.org.
General Information:
WEDA’s conferences have always been a place where dredging professionals meet to make connections and learn from each other. The conference sessions and panels that always feature good questions and discussion have always provided space for professional interactions to the coffee (and ice cream) breaks in the exhibit halls. In 2021, WEDA is building on this by offering our first mentorship opportunity. This program brings enthusiastic WEDA members together in a unique partnership to prepare mentees for their professional future by guiding them in specific topics. By providing real-world context, personal insights, and ongoing support, mentors will help mentees to achieve their short and long-term personal and career goals in the dredging industry.
The mentorship will consist of at least six monthly, 1hr meetings with your assigned mentee or mentor, as well as an onboarding and offboarding 1hr call (total 8hrs). Along the way, WEDA may offer resources to help you learn more about being a mentor, resources to help mentees identify short- and long-term goals, and discussion prompts for conversations. The mentorship program is not a recruiting or job search tool, nor is it meant to provide free consulting.
If you have experience in the dredging industry you are willing to share, being a mentor is for you. If you are new to the professional world, new to dredging, or branching out into a new professional focus, you are a mentee candidate. Joining this program means you agree to participate in the Mentorship Program actively fully. As a participant, you are expected to attend all scheduled meetings and maximize the time you have in your mentorship pairing. It is up to both parties to determine what will work best to get the most out of the program.
Launch Dates:
- March 15: WEDA Members are notified about upcoming programming, mentor applications open
- March 30: WEDA Members invited to join the program as a mentor. Mentors will be reviewed and approved between 1-8 April.
- April 15: WEDA Mentors approved, listed on the website.
- April 19: WEDA Members invited to join as mentees only. Mentees will receive notice their application has been received within 24 business hours.
- May 16: Mentee Registration closes.
- May 19: Matching begins based on the requested topic and available mentor.
- May 30: Matching day, and the 1st emails go out to the group.
- Early June: Onboarding Mentor Zoom Call
- Early June: Onboarding Mentee Zoom Call
- WEDA Conference: Announce matches, and give an update on the program.
Application:
For consideration as a mentor or mentee, please click here to complete a Google Forms Survey. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at Info@WesternDredging.org.
Best regards,
Tom Cappellino
Executive Director
Western Dredging Association
tcappellino@westerndredging.org | (949) 422-8231
