Louise Weine is the CEO of National Association of Women in Operations (NAWO). Its unique mentoring program has been running for 12 years and has seen more than 1000 women mentored by 400 leaders so far.
"The NAWO mentoring program was established by a group of women leading logistics, supply chain and manufacturing functions, to connect women coming through all of those different industries.
Many women still find themselves as one of few and sometimes still the only woman in a team or on a site – and that can be a challenge.
While we work on improving the representation of women in these industries, disciplines and jobs, and address societal and gendered systems of work that cause friction in the career map for women, NAWO’s mentoring program plays a really important role.
We provide support so that women who have exceptional skill sets can bring those to the table confidently.
There are great mutual benefits to this program. The mentees connect with people in more senior positions and with women facing similar challenges. They build confidence and strengths they can leverage more effectively.
And the mentors even say they gain more than the mentees.
"I hope for a day when we don’t actually have to focus on gender and that everybody is valued for the diversity that they bring to the workplace. And I want to see a manufacturing industry that is drawing upon 100 per cent of the talent pool."
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