Mentorship

Mentorship is a proven strategy to help women advance their careers in Canada. Whether it is through mentorship circles, one-on-one mentorship or executive sponsorship, leveraging the knowledge and experience of our peers and seniors can be a great way to break down the barriers to the advancement of women in technology, communications and media industries in Canada. All types of mentorship provide an opportunity to identify career aspirations, overcome challenges and expand your network by connecting with other professional men and women. 

WCT offers an array of mentorship programs designed to inspire and empower women at every level in their careers. Entry-level women can get ahead in their careers by taking advantage of WCT's mentorship circles, while mid-level women can jump-start their career by becoming a mentee in the one-on-one mentorship program. Mid and senior level women looking to develop leadership skills and connect with other women can give back to their community by becoming mentors with WCT, while senior and executive level women leverage the ground-breaking WCT Protégé Project for executive sponsorship opportunities.

WCT National Mentorship Program

For over 20 years, the WCT National Mentorship Program has been the launch pad for the careers of hundreds of women across Canada. Strategically matching mentors with mentees based of experience, goals and networks, the program is designed to informally provide mentorship for women at all career levels. 

The program matches a WCT Member with a senior or peer member of the communications and/or technology sectors for one year of counsel, leadership and professional development. The guiding principles of the mentorship program are for mentors to develop a mentee’s leadership skills and work with them to define goals and develop strategies for reaching them.

The structure of the program is informal. The mentor and mentee decide together on the nature and frequency of meetings, and the objectives and outcomes of the mentorship.

Please note that WCT Student members are not eligible for the program. Applicants for whom there are no available mentors will be kept on a waiting list and reconsidered for the next program session. Also, please ensure that your WCT membership is up to date in order to access the application forms. 

Learn more about the experience of the WCT National Mentorship Program from our 2020 Program Kick-Off panel. 

THE VALUE OF FORMAL MENTORSHIP

PERSON VS PROFESSIONAL 

WHY MENTOR

TIPS FOR MENTORS 

Male vs Female Mentors

GIVING AND TAKING FEEDBACK 

Corus' CHERYL FULLERTON on mentorship 

Take Control of Your Career

The WCT National Mentorship Program is no longer taking applications for 2020. Please check back in fall 2020 for the 2021 cohort.

Being a mentee in the WCT National Mentorship Program is available only for members. Not a member? Sign up now to take advantage of the other membership benefits available to you.

 

If you're interested in sharing your experience and knowledge with someone, or want to give back to the community, become a mentor! Email info@wct-fct.com to get started.

If you don't think you have what it takes to be a mentor, or want to learn more about being a WCT mentor, email info@wct-fct.com.

You do not have to be a WCT member to become a mentor. Develop leaderships skills and build your network by mentoring someone in your industry through the WCT Mentorship Program.

“My mentor and I are an excellent match. She encouraged me to follow what I love to do and helped me with practical steps on how to accomplish my goal. I would definitely recommend this program to women in tech who would like to develop professionally and advance their careers.”

– Kasia Wakarecy, Participant in the 2015-2016 Mentorship Program

“Initially I began as a mentor with the thought of giving back and helping another woman in technology advance her career. To my delight, my WCT’s Mentorship engagement turned into a mutually beneficial process of learning, sharing and success. This is in great part because the WCT did an excellent job matching me with just the right mentee. The alignment of our aspirations, experiences and overall style helped us both advance our professional goals.”

- Pavla Selepova, Vice President, Operational Innovation, Pythian

 

Regional Mentorship Circles

Mentorship Circles are designed to provide like-minded professionals in the telecommunications, media and technology industries the opportunity to form strategic partnerships with members of the group. The partnerships are intended to help members deal with current career challenges, as well as find the support and tools they need to grow and develop in their careers. Participants may be from varied backgrounds, expertise and career levels, but what they share is a passion for excellence and a desire to realize their potential in their professional lives.

By exchanging experiences, challenges and opportunities for the purpose of enhancing self-confidence, communication skills and leadership practices, participants are able to set important development goals and build competence and character to reach those goals. The structure of the Mentorship Circles is designed by the Regional Chapter, but the guiding principles remain rooted in helping WCT members achieve their personal and professional goals.

WCT-NCR, WCT London, and WCT Waterloo offer Mentorship Circle programs. Please visit their chapter pages for more information.