Advance your Career: New Mentoring Programmes Available for Women in Sustainable Energy in Selected LAC and MENA Countries

Gender diversity drives innovation, opens new pathways for technology deployment, brings valuable perspectives to social and economic development and provides a richer pool of talent for key and emerging industries. In the landscape of global issues requiring strong leadership and a skilled workforce, few areas are as critical as the transition to a sustainable energy system. Yet, as documented in IRENA’s January 2019 report “Renewable Energy: a Gender Perspective,” the renewables industry continues to be male-dominated.

In order to advance the role of women as agents of change in society and promote best practices within the sector, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is teaming up with the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) to launch regional mentoring programmes as part of its bilateral energy partnership. The first two programmes will focus on Latin American Countries (LAC) as well as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In this first phase, participants from the following countries are eligible to apply:

• LAC: Brazil and Mexico
• MENA: Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia

The programme is designed to accelerate the careers of women in junior/middle management positions in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector, support their pathway to leadership positions and foster a global network of mentorship, knowledge-sharing and empowerment. The application criteria are as follows:

• Must be a national from one of the LAC or MENA countries listed above
• Must be a woman working in the renewable energy or energy efficiency field
• Must work in a junior/middle management position

Furthermore, the mentoring programmes are designed around the following key programme parameters:

• Selection of 8-10 mentees per country
• 9-month programme duration
• Comprehensive knowledge-transfer components through a series of webinars
• Study tour for 20 selected mentees to Germany in autumn 2019
• Networking and peer-to-peer exchange

If you fulfil the application criteria and are interested to apply as a mentee, please fill in the application form for the LAC or MENA regions.

The deadline for applications has been extended to Saturday 31^st August 2019

Become a mentor – what’s in it for you?

GWNET is looking for senior professionals who are eager to make a difference and have a positive impact on a younger woman’s career in the energy sector. With the ever-changing dynamics of the business fields, digitalisation, knowledge and knowledge sharing has become more important than ever. As a mentor, you get the opportunity to give something valuable back to more junior professionals and to expand your own knowledge through your mentees’ perspective. Mentoring will contribute to personal and professional development for both you and your mentee, as well as, shaping the direction of future generations within your field of expertise.

If you are interested in volunteering as a mentor in one of GWNET’s mentoring programmes (which involves approx. 1 – 1.5 hours of engagement per month plus optional participation in knowledge-transfer webinars), kindly fill-in the Mentor Datasheet.

Image Copyright: DENA/photothek/Ute Grabowsky