#IWD21: Morson equips female students to ‘Go Beyond’ University with mentoring initiative
The Morson Maker Space at the University of Salford is launching a new Women in Engineering Mentoring Programme.
‘Go Beyond’ aims to connect final year female students with industry professionals and will run from Feb 2021 – May 2021. Powered by Morson Group, the initiative is to cater for a select group of female students studying engineering subjects in the School of Science, Engineering and Environment (SSEE).
The aims of ‘Go Beyond’ are to help students focus on the future, gain broader skills for personal or career development. The knowledge and influence of the mentor will assist the student in planning career objectives and help with gaining insight about how to step confidently into the industry. The focus is on developing the mentee professionally whilst helping to instil self-awareness, more confidence and to feel equipped to Go Beyond the University into employment.
We’re thrilled that six professionals from across our Group have volunteered as mentors, dedicating their time and expertise to help promote Salford’s graduate talent, encouraging and upskilling more women into engineering roles.
Morson Talent’s head of client engagement, Sam Price, Sagal Rooble, a digital specialist at Waldeck and engineers Maria Williamson, Anna Davanzo and Ana Meek plus Becky Veal from Morson Projects, will be matched with students to provide one-to-one mentoring sessions and take part in group webinars featuring guest talks from other mentors.
Sam Price, head of client engagement, said:
Our partnership with the University of Salford is a pivotal component in addressing skills shortages and the diversity imbalances of the industries we serve. The concept of ‘seeing is believing’ is extremely powerful, with women more likely to choose careers when they’re exposed to scenarios that they can imagine themselves in. By providing relatable role models, we aim to break down barriers and encourage more women into the field, whilst also supporting career transitioning from other sectors. The launch of the ‘Go Beyond’ mentoring scheme supports our ambition to improve role model access and visibility.
On a personal level, I’m thrilled to begin mentoring as part of this scheme I hope I can share invaluable insights with my mentee that will help her to achieve her ambitions. I’m sure that I’ll also learn a lot in the process too.
Dr. Maria Stukoff, Director of the Morson Maker Space, added:
“We welcomed a phenomenal number of industry mentors who registered their supporting to the programme, and we’re delighted to have four mentors from the Morson Group. ‘Go Beyond’ is a real testament to our partnership with Morson and our collaborative investment to developing our talent pipeline and creating employment routes for the next generation of women in engineering.”
A welcome extension to our partnership with the University of Salford, ‘Go Beyond’ also furthers our work to diversify talent pipelines across the industries in which we operate, ensuring businesses are fair and inclusive. True ED&I has real impact, not just on the lives of individuals from all walks of life, but in creating better cultures and broader empathy in workplaces across the country.
We understand the complexities and opportunities of widening participation and take our commitment to this very seriously. Our latest whitepaper explores BAME representation in the workplace, shining a spotlight on experiences within technical industries, download your copy here.
Morson has long-standing ties with The University of Salford, offering the Gerry Mason Excellence of Engineering Scholarship and establishing the Morson Engine Room and Morson Maker Space engineering facilities in 2019. The two facilities feature the latest industry-standard manufacturing technologies, enabling students to learn real-world engineering skills in relation to design for manufacture, assembly and inspection, allowing hands-on practical experience to be a step ahead of the average graduate.
Most recently the students at the Maker Space have been developing medical visors using 3D printing in direct response to the needs of hospital staff and carers fighting Coronavirus.
