The International Mentoring Association Presents The Womens Transportation Seminar Greater New York

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The International Mentoring Association
PresentsThe Womens Transportation
SeminarGreater New York ChapterMentor Program

• The
• Work
• Continues

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Presentation Overview

• WTS Mission, Description, Purpose and Goals
• Establishment of Mentor Program
• Synopsis of first eight programs
• Challenges
• Rewards
• Achievements
• Best Methods
• Lessons Learned

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Mentor Committee Advisor Apprentices and Guests
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Introduction

• Greetings
• Introduction by
• Brenda McIntosh
• Mentor Committee Co-Chair
• IMA Board Member
• Presenter
• Linda Travis
• Immediate past Mentor Committee Chair
• Principal Advisor

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2007Mentor Program Committee

• Maria Garcia Director at Large
• Linda Travis Committee Chair
• Brenda McIntosh Committee Co-chair
  
• Jean Laird Committee Member
• Catherine Hess Committee Member
• Marie De Lucia Committee Member
• Maria Miranda Committee Member
• Christina Adidjaja Committee Member

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Committee Chair Linda Travis Alumni Guests
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Biographies

• Linda Travis
• 20 years transportation experience
• First Woman General Foreman hired by a Railroad
• President, Metropolitan Association of Railroad
  Officers
• East Coast Rep for American Association Of Rail
  Superintendents
• Superintendent at MTA NYC Transit in Ops Planning
  Div
• Graduate of first WTS GNY Mentor Program in 2001
• Continuous Committee Member 2002-2005
• Selected Mentor Committee Chair 2005
• Wrote and coordinated proposal, presentation and
  workshops with Co Chair and Director

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Director at Large Maria GarciaMentor,
Apprentice Committee Members
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Bios Continued

• Maria Garcia
• 20 years transportation experience
• Conformity Coordinator at NYC DOT
• Graduate Architect
• Graduate of WTS GNY Mentor Program 2004
• International member of WTS
• Elected Director at Large to GNY Board of
  Directors, assigned to Mentor Program, 2004
• Coordinated with Committee Chair and Co- Chair
  for submission of this winning proposal
• Certified English as a Second Language Instructor
• Member of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

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Bios Continued

• Brenda McIntosh
• 20 years Transportation, Human Resource
  experience
• Director, Employee Programs, HR/ Employee
  Development Division at NYC Transit
• Executive and Organizational Coach
• Mentor Committee member since 2005
• Co-Chair Mentor Committee in 2006
• Winner 2006 Rosa Parks Diversity Award
• Member IMA since 2004, Introduced IMA to WTS
  Mentor Committee
• Coordinated with Committee Chair and Director At
  Large for submission of this winning proposal

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Womens Transportation Seminar

• WTS Mission Statement
• Our mission is the success and advancement of
  women in transportation
• WTS International was founded in 1977, created
  via the efforts of 40 women involved in
  transportation in Washington DC who realized that
  a mechanism was needed to enhance professional
  advancement while acknowledging the growing
  presence of women in the field . More than 4400
  members world wide, 40 chapters, serving members
  in the US, Great Britain and Canada
• What we do - meetings, seminars, committees,
  events
• scholarships, programs
• Who we are -
• Students, Engineers, Managers, Directors, VPs,
  Consultants
• Our members represent a wide array of Fortune
  500 companies and regional Agencies of all
  dimensions

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Organizational Goals

• Redefine success for women in the
  transportation industry
• Establish credibility so that both public and
  private sector leaders recognize WTS as a value
  added resource
• Earn recognition for WTS membership and
  involvement as discriminating factors in
  employment and promotion
• Leverage partnerships with industry associations,
  womens organizations and other strategic allies
• Provide state- of- the- art services such as Web
  site, job bank, education and development
  opportunities
• Work toward a minimum of 50 women leaders in the
  transportation industry ensuring that women are
  offered appointments commensurate with their
  abilities.

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Benefits of Membership

• Access to high level industry leaders
• Monthly Programs- relevant topics
• Annual Conference Annual Awards
• Job Bank
• Professional Development
• Leadership Training
• Chapter/International Newsletter
• International Membership Directory
• Directory of Women-Owned, Minority-Owned and
  Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

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The Mentor Program

• Synopsis
• Mentor Program conceptualized, inaugurated and
  established by WTS GNY Chapter Board in 2001
• Designed to create a network of contacts for
  mid-career professional women seeking to progress
  to next step
• Advertised in newsletter e-mail to chapter
  membership
• Open to 10 Apprentice / Mentor pairs each
  program year
• First year program format -monthly meetings held
  at familiar midtown conference center
• Mentor/Apprentice required to attend monthly
  meetings to remain in good standing
• Meeting topics focus on relevant career issues
• Industry leaders speak on these topics, provide
  examples of successful methods to overcome
  obstacles

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Organization

• Program Committee
• Three tier participation
• A) Advisors-Senior Management Volunteers
• B) Mentors - Direct one on one with
  Apprentices
• C) Committee Chair members - Program
  management and administration

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Participants Roles

• Advisors
• High level Senior Officials, Vice Presidents,
• And Local Political Officials who
• 1) Primarily Oversee and Advise.
• 2) Serve as Guest Speakers
• 3) Perform Mock interviews
• 4) Provide assorted auxiliary functions to
  facilitate Committee operation

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Participants Roles

• Mentors
• Senior Corporate Officers
• Active WTS members
• Dedicated to the Mentor concept
• Employed in various industry capacities
• 15 years of experience in either public or
  private sectors or both
• Provides Resume and Bio to Committee
• Maintains high degree of availability
• To attend sessions
• To meet with Apprentice in between sessions
• To provide example of professional conduct

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Participants Roles

• Apprentices
• Active members of WTS
• Junior level or Mid Career working women
• 5 to 10 years in work force
• Expressed interest/desire for advancement
• Verifiable credentials
• Post graduate education
• Membership in professional organizations
• Acceptable application package

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Participants Roles

• Committee Responsibilities
• Planning / Organization / Production
• Task Delegation
• Catering arrangements
• Reading Material Reproduction
• Correspondence
• Thank You notes
• Congratulation Notices
• Speaking Requests

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Program Preparation

• WTS GNY Chapter Notifies Membership
• Annual call for Apprentice Applications with
  deadline
• Requirements include
• Letter defining interest
• Resume
• Brief Bio
• Letter of recommendation from Senior Colleague
• Mentor Committee receives and processes all
  correspondence
• Letters of acceptance/rejection

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Program Preparation continued

• Mentor Committee Plans the schedule of events for
  the year
• Dates
• Times
• Potential guest speakers
• Relevant Topics
• Locations
• Room arrangements
• Refreshments
• Catering Menus and arrangements
• Then submits to WTS-GNY Board for approval

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Program Preparation continued

• Application Review Process
• Committee Selects Best Candidates
• Interest
• Willingness to coordinate
• Credentials
• Notify Candidates of Selection
• Committee Compares Apprentice stats with Mentor
  info
• i.e. bio, resume, home location, interests
• Seek Common Ground
• Similar home base, shared interests,
• Hobbies, sports, disciplines?
• Educational background, job activity?
• Match Apprentice/Mentor pairs
• Circulate among committee,
• Discuss/evaluate
• Decide which combinations show most potential
  based on criteria above

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Program Preparation

• Arrange Kick-Off meeting
• First Session of New Year
• Apprentices meet Mentors
• Select Presenter
• Determine Relevant Topic
• Prepare Agenda
• Allow time slots for each segment of session
• Sample Agenda
• 500 Meeting begins
• Attendees enter, mingle, take beverages, seat
  themselves.
• 530 Call meeting to order
• Introduce Speaker
• 540- 600 Speech
• 600- 615 Questions
• 615- 630 Announce Mentor Apprentice Pairs
• Attendees reorganize seating to facilitate pair
  introductions
• Etcetera until session conclusion

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Insuring Program Success

• Plan the Work / Work the Plan
• Set budget guidelines
• Create list of local caterers able to fill orders
  on short notice at low cost
• Contact Speakers 4 to 6 weeks in advance
• Prepare Security Lists for ease of entry at
  Corporate locations

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Success continued

• Maximum Planning
• Minimum Issues
• Enables creation of a default back-up plan
• Reduces Stress
• Prepare a Detailed Agenda
• Brief Speakers on topics you wish to be addressed
  1 to 2 weeks before session
• Provide roadmap
• Organize session structure
• Map out your year
• Begin with Kickoff
• Build on concepts initiated there
• Develop those into a series of brief seminars
  that
• Link to one another
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Preparation concludes

• Kickoff Session begins
• Committee Chair or designee opens program.
• Introduces Speaker
• Monitors time
• Signals end of allotted speech time
• Indicates 15 min Q/A period
• Calls time
• Thanks Speaker
• Announces refreshment break

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Planning The Calendar

• Schedule periodic events
• Approx every 6 to 8 weeks
• Select a relevant theme
• For Example
• Resume review
• Career Navigation
• Overcoming Obstacles
• Bring Best Self to Work
• Prepare flyers (e-mail)
• Theme
• Guest Speaker
• Date, time, location
• Light refreshments

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Panel Discussion
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Graduation
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Theme Selection Tips

• Consider your audience
• Apprentice stats
• Job titles
• Education
• Experience
• Consider Speaker resource pool
• Who enjoys speaking? Are they good at it?
• Which subjects do they prefer?
• Hows their availability?
• Who has Contact Information?

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Program Caveats

• Attendance inconsistent or poor
• Some Pairs incompatible
• Some Mentors unable to sustain commitment
• Apprentice Attrition rate 25
• reasons varied new jobs, return to school,
  relocation, marriage, insincerity, lack of
  maturity

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Additional Challenges

• Apprentice commitment to program
• Societal impacts on attendance home, family,
  school, job
• Disenchantment due to unrealistic expectations
• Disingenuous applications

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Ongoing issues

• Unprepared speakers
• Absenteeism Apprentices Mentors Committee
• Undermanned Committee
• Too many tasks too few people to perform them
• Time
• Budget Constraints
• Schedule Conflicts

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The Progress Continues

• Passing the Torch
• Identify successor
• Step back
• Remain available
• Periodic checks
• Offer recommendations
• Stress the big picture