‘A mentor who’s been there, done that is invaluable’

Ahead of International Women’s Day on Saturday, the Ai Group Apprentice and Trainee Centre (Ai Group ATC) is highlighting the power of mentorship in shaping the careers of women in trades.

An apprentice in a program supported by the Ai Group ATC said the care and guidance she had received from her mentor had given her the confidence and self-belief to complete her apprenticeship. 

A mentor in the same initiative said she wished such support was available to her when she began her engineering career 35 years ago. 

While the Apprentice to Leader program, funded by the Victorian Government to support female apprentices in the energy and manufacturing sectors, is coming to an end, mentoring through the Ai Group ATC is ongoing.  

Challenges 

Shayla Rushworth, 25, is thriving in her Ai Group ATC electrical apprenticeship but her first apprenticeship — in machine repairs with another employer — ended in disaster. 

“I experienced harassment and bullying,” she recalls.  

“It drastically impacted me and my life; I lost my confidence and ended up not only quitting that apprenticeship halfway through but changing career paths altogether.” 

Michaela Smith, who’s in her final year of a four-year mechanical engineering apprenticeship, has also experienced “ups and downs”.  

“Overall, it’s been pretty good, but there have definitely been challenges,” she said. 

“A lot of the older guys still have very traditional views and don’t always respect what you say. 

“Sometimes, it feels that as a female, you have to work twice as hard for half as much recognition. Having said that, it’s hard to determine if it’s because I’m female or because I’m an apprentice.” 

Empowering 

Through the Apprentice to Leader program, Shayla and Michaela have been able to navigate their experiences during regular catch ups with their mentors.  

Ai Group ATC National Manager Stakeholder Engagement Craig Hilton said: “Dedicated support for females before, during and after their apprenticeships is vital for success in male-dominated fields.  

“Of course, the same can be said for male apprentices and trainees in female-dominated industries. 

“Overall, we need more mentoring in the workplace and more supportive work environments. 

“When it comes to apprenticeships, mentors not only help females navigate male-dominated workplaces, they also help them embrace new technologies and skills and adjust to evolving workplaces.” 

Sounding board 

“It’s helpful for apprentices to have someone outside of their host company to talk to,” Ai Group ATC Employment Training Consultant Nikki Ashbee says. 

“It’s why mentorship and pastoral care is a priority at Ai Group ATC. With us, they can talk about all types of issues, even what’s going on in their personal lives.” 

Like all Ai Group staff, Ai Group ATC apprentices have free access to the TELUS Health Employee Assistance Program. 

“It’s super important to provide that constant support to ensure they finish,” Mrs Ashbee said. 

“Our aim is completions.  

“We don’t want our apprentices to come into their second or third year and say: ‘I’ve had too much; it’s too stressful; no one’s been here to support me’ and give up with a year to go until they’re trade qualified.  

“Mentoring benefits everyone: the host company, the apprentice and the employer. It’s a holistic approach.” 

Nurturing the next generation 

Michaela’s mentor, Beatrice Barnett, says her own career would have been vastly different had such programs existed when she qualified as an engineer 35 years ago. 

“I wish I had had a mentor to help me navigate all the unknowns and the unseens and the unspokens when I started my career,” Ms Barnett said. 

“Can you believe I’ve never worked as an engineer? 

“When I started out, the company I worked for took me on as a management trainee. They knew I was an engineer, but they never gave me a role as an engineer. 

“I’ve never picked up a spanner or done any engineering in my whole career. 

“They said it wasn’t a woman’s job.” 

Ms Barnett, whose business, Pulse Workplace Safety, provides leadership training for clients including apprentices, encouraged experienced workers to nurture the next generation. 

“Young people gain so much from spending time and learning from those who work in industry,” she said. 

“Males can mentor females, too — and by doing so, they can better understand the female experience.”  

Life changing  

“My mentor has been amazing,” Michaela said of Ms Barnett. 

“She’s helped me in so many ways — from just listening to me rant about stuff to providing WHS advice. 

“She gives me tips on things like emotional regulation and communication in the workplace, as well as resume advice. 

“To have a mentor who’s been there, done that, is invaluable. 

“They know how hard it is. They know exactly what you’re going through and how best to support you, because it’s the support that they wanted when they were doing all of this. 

“Mentoring should be more fully embedded in the workplace; there’s nothing to lose from doing that, only everything to gain.” 

For Shayla, having a mentor has been life changing and already, she wants to pay it forward. 

“One day, I want to be a mentor for someone young like me, as not many women are in the sparky trade,” she said.  

“My mentor has given me the belief that I will and can succeed in the career path I have chosen, no matter the challenges that arise from it. 

I’m determined to finish my apprenticeship and because of my mentor, I know I will get through whatever comes my way.”