How many times have you found yourself inspired by Oprah Winfrey? Have you ever found yourself wondering what or who inspired her?
Well, maybe you’ve never thought about it, but in case you’re about to click away and Google it, don’t because we’ve got the answer for you.
It was Maya Angelou, the acclaimed writer and poet, who mentored Oprah. Angelou was (and continues to be) a powerful force for change and an inspiration to many young writers and activists, but Oprah has said that Angelou’s guidance and support helped her become the person she is today.
While not everyone will be lucky enough to have access to Maya Angelou, there are some amazing mentorship programs around that can help fuel your own success.
So, if you are looking for an employer that values your personal and professional growth, look no further than these seven outstanding companies. Having already been endorsed by WORK180 as organizations that prioritize diversity, inclusion, and work-life balance, they go even further to offer initiatives and advice to help you achieve your career goals.
Powerlink | Deloitte | Whitehaven Coal | Woolworths Group | QFES | The Star | Stantec
Powerlink
Mining, resources & energy | 1,001-5,000 employees
What do they do?
Powerlink is a leading Australian provider of high-voltage electricity transmission services, combining innovation with insight to deliver safe, cost-effective, and reliable energy solutions.
Their purpose is to connect Queenslanders to a world-class energy future, providing electricity to five million Queenslanders and 238,000 businesses.
What mentorship programs do they offer?
Graduates of Powerlink Queensland’s Accelerate Women in Leadership Program have the option to participate in the Accelerate Mentoring Program.
The leadership development program seeks to accelerate the development and careers of women at Powerlink, enabling them to be ready for career progression opportunities.
It creates dedicated spaces for connection, consideration, and growth, offering opportunities for women to begin clarifying their professional goals and realize their own potential. Through connection, development, and learning from each other over 12 months, our participants graduate with increased awareness and actions that will help them succeed in their chosen careers at Powerlink.
Mentees in the Accelerate mentoring program:
- Are exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking
- Increase their confidence and self-esteem
- Have opportunities for dialogue and guidance from leaders
- Are provided with personal growth and support for achieving goals
- Are provided with opportunities to advance their knowledge, networking, and communication skills
- Receive support in achieving increased clarity in personal direction and development of ideas
- Develop skills to enable better career prospects and choices
- Gain ideas and techniques for balancing work, life, and family
Testimonials & advice
“My mentor has motivated and inspired me to continue growing both personally and professionally through challenging and exciting experiences. He has openly shared his knowledge and strategies while encouraging and supporting me as I continue my career development. His constant support has been invaluable.
“I know that we are all busy but when considering our career development but take into account the rewards of becoming more efficient and effective in everything you do after making the time to focus on your development. Allocating time into busy schedules to reflect on your achievements and areas for development while improving your skills will give you a great opportunity to set yourself up for future success.”
– Sharelle Pedley (she/her), Enterprise Portfolio Planning Lead
“I had a great mentoring relationship with my mentor. He encouraged me to do a self-assessment test to understand myself better and more importantly to identify what I want for my future in my career. This was an eye-opening experience for me. The assessment results helped me develop a career plan with my mentor. Now our discussions are very robust and focus on the plan I developed with his assistance.
“I definitely recommend everyone to have a mentoring relationship. It helps to understand your strengths better and more importantly how to use your strengths in your career as well.”
– Lutfiye Manli (she/her), Manager Asset Management System
Queensland Fire Department
Defence & emergency | 10,001+ employees
What do they do?
Queensland Fire Department (QFD) is the primary provider of fire and rescue, emergency management, and disaster mitigation programs and services throughout Queensland. They deliver this through our Fire and Rescue Service (FRS), Rural Fire Service (RFS), and State Emergency Service (SES).
Their role is to provide leadership, mitigation planning, and a responsive service to ensure the safety of the Queensland community. They aim to protect people, property, and the environment through the continued delivery of emergency services, awareness programs, response capability and capacity, and incident response and recovery for a safer Queensland.
Whether you’re on the front line or supporting those who are, every role within QFD counts.
Testimonials & advice
“The value of a mentor cannot be underestimated. I highly recommend having a mentor and being a mentor.
“My advice is to make sure you know what you want to get out of the mentor/mentee relationship. It should not be confused with a coach, or even a sponsor who will use their currency to advocate for you. A mentor is someone you can share the good, the bad, and the ugly with. The mentoring relationship provides a forum for you to share your fears or concerns about a particular issue. It’s someone you can bounce ideas off, someone who can provide advice when you haven’t got things quite right, and someone to celebrate your triumphs with.”
– Jane Houston (she/her), Acting Executive Director Strategy Directorate
Stantec
Engineering | 1,001-5,000 employees
What do they do?
The Stantec community unites approximately 22,000 employees working in over 350 locations across six continents. They care about the communities they serve—because they’re their communities too. That’s why at Stantec, they always design with the community in mind.
They’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.
Testimonials & advice
“Vulnerability and trust are so important to being a good mentor. When you admit fallibility and show authentic emotion, you develop trust and show emerging leaders that you do not need to be perfect or have it all figured out to progress to a certain level.
“It also gives the person you are mentoring permission to share their challenges which helps to understand and gives context. A good mentor seeks to understand their mentee, rather than only sharing their personal experience. Approachability is also important to allow the mentee to feel more comfortable asking for mentorship in the first instance, as well as reaching out if they need support outside of scheduled meetings.”
– Renata Tracey, Civil Group Leader, Principal & Stantec Mentor
“I was paired with my mentor, Ruchira Somaweera, shortly after joining Stantec. Our pairing quickly became one of the most inspirational and influential professional relationships I have made to date. I was immediately treated as a valuable colleague, assisting in tasks that directly impact my team’s key objectives, while simultaneously developing my personal growth.
“As a mentor, Ruchira has had a profound impact on my career, and the environmental services technical knowledge that he has shared will benefit me for the rest of my career.”
– Charlotte Boehm, Graduate Environmental Scientist & Stantec Mentee
