They live 4000km apart, but distance was no obstacle to Shauna Martin and Scott Pope’s enriching AWRA e-Mentoring experience.

Reflecting on the past eight months, Shauna Martin could not be happier that she ‘took the plunge’ and signed up to be a mentee in the flagship Australian Women in Resources Alliance (AWRA) e-Mentoring Program.

Admitting that she was apprehensive at first, the geological database administrator is now an advocate for what a mentoring experience can offer aspiring women in the resource industry.

Working at MMG’s Golden Grove mine in Western Australia’s mid-west, Martin first saw the AWRA e-Mentoring Program advertised through her employer’s intranet.

“I think there’s always some non-formal mentoring in the workplace, but I’ve never had a formal opportunity like this presented to me before,” says Martin.

“It struck a chord and I thought that it actually wouldn’t be too bad to put myself forward and to see exactly what I could get out of it.

“I’m really pleased that I took the plunge and I often wonder had I not, perhaps I wouldn’t have professionally developed over the past eight months as much as I have.”

On the opposite side of Australia, Sydney-based Scott Pope discovered AWRA was looking for male and female mentors and saw the opportunity to apply his mentoring and coaching skills in a different way.

“I thought the AWRA e-Mentoring Program was a great opportunity to use diverse mentoring approaches,” says Pope, commercial manager, retail markets at Origin Energy.

Pope believes the program breaks down the barrier of remoteness which can prevent women in male-dominated sectors finding the right mentor to provide dedicated professional support.

Through AWRA e-Mentoring, Martin and Pope connect regularly either by telephone, Skype or email and are supported through a structured nine-month program featuring training webinars and online tools.

Despite working in different professions, they have found common ground across similar career challenges.

“I’ve worked in a number of different organisations and have a lot of experience in the energy sector, so I have a sense of different workplace cultures and the dynamics of a generally male-dominated industry,” says Pope.

“When you are not bound to the same occupational category you can assess a situation without being locked in to a certain perspective.

“And as we’ve progressed through the program, the issues we deal with have broadened, so it’s an evolving relationship in that context.

“However, I didn’t come into this having all the answers. I just probably have more in my kit bag to draw upon as I reflect on my own career and compare it to the challenges Shauna has.”

Initially Martin assumed she would be matched with another woman in the industry, but has found Pope to be an incredible support.

“It’s interesting to get a male perspective on different challenges in the workplace,” she says

“Building my confidence and developing pathways to achieve my career goals are some issues we’ve been working on, but Scott also has lots of little tips around time management and prioritising that I can instantly apply to my work.”

Most of all, Martin credits the program for bringing resource professionals from every corner of the industry closer together.

“What’s great is that I wasn’t just limited to mentors in WA; there’s a whole nation involved across different resource-related sectors. There is no way I would have connected with Scott if it wasn’t for this program and I wouldn’t change my experience for the world,” she says.

Think you would like to become a part of the AWRA e-Mentoring program? Contact the AWRA team by e-mailing [email protected] or phone 1800 627 771.