Why did you decide to become a mentor?
I became a mentor because I found it deeply rewarding every time I got the chance to mentor early career engineers in the past. I also realized the mentors were catalysts for my own personal growth in my career, and I wanted to ensure that other people had the same opportunity to have a good mentor as I did. I signed up hoping for an opportunity to connect with a mentee, and was really impressed by the caliber of individuals on the platform.
How did you get your career start?
I started my career in Aerospace as a Mechanical Engineer, working on both airframes and commercial jet engines. One of the most impactful mentors I had was another engineer I connected with who took time to sit with me and teach me what would have taken me years otherwise. That kind of knowledge sharing was invaluable at that stage in my career. I had other mentors who were able to help my network my way into interviews which landed me my 'next big role'.
What do mentees usually come to you for?
Mentees typically come to me for Career Growth or Startup mentorship. When we work on career growth, we review their whole strategy and refine it so they feel confident taking bold steps. We lean into networking strategies, and they come away feeling more confident in what they bring to the table stepping into a new role. On the startup side, I have a unique slice of knowledge around design, manufacturing, software and 3D visualization and am always excited to work with people in this space and talk about the real problems and gaps in the industry.
What's been your favourite mentorship success story so far?
A favorite mentorship moment was one where we identified an immediate opportunity to "grow where your planted". In other words, even though the long term goal was to pivot and grow into a bigger role, we figured out that in the immediate future they could ask for additional scope and title in the current role, to better position them for the next. I love the strategy of raising your hand and making the most of a situation to pave your way to the next. Sometimes the best answers are hiding in plain sight.
What are you getting out of being a mentor?
Being a mentor has impacted my career by growing my network to include talented engineers, developers, coaches and entrepreneurs. I know I am a few clicks away from connected with a huge group of diverse and high quality individuals. On a personal level, I've gained more interpersonal and leadership experience, especially on the human side of accountability and commitment. I've also connected with the generation entering the workforce now, and it's given me perspective I may not otherwise have into their ambitions and challenges.