Discover the Mentoring Strategy Boosting Women in the Construction Industry

with Mary Jane Zhang
NAWIC WA

Mentorloop Impact Award Winner 2024

"The program has also boosted engagement within organizations by fostering meaningful connections and supporting personal growth. Many participants now feel more valued in their careers, leading to higher retention rates and reduced turnover."

Leading NAWIC WA’s Mentoring Program

With 11 years of experience in the construction industry, I am honored to serve as the Mentoring Program Coordinator for NAWIC WA this year and next.

As the coordinator, I facilitate mentor-mentee pairings, provide support, and ensure that our program not only meets but exceeds participants’ expectations. Our goal is to empower construction professionals to reach new career heights, and this recognition reflects the hard work of our dedicated mentors and mentees.

Challenges Before Mentorloop: Managing a Growing Program

Before adopting Mentorloop, NAWIC WA’s mentoring program faced several challenges. With a short window to prepare for the intake, we had little time to plan, as applications opened only a month after we took over. In previous years, NAWIC had engaged a company to run the mentoring program. The cost of managing the program in this way grew unsustainable and to assist in reducing mentees’ fees, a change of tact was needed.

Without a centralized system, it was difficult to track progress, monitor engagement, or identify inactive pairings early. Feedback collection was also time-consuming, delaying improvements and hindering our ability to measure success in real-time. The need for a more efficient, structured, and scalable approach became clear—one that Mentorloop has successfully provided.

Impact: Empowering Construction Professionals and Fostering Growth

NAWIC WA’s mentoring program has made a significant impact on both mentors and mentees. Mentees have gained invaluable industry knowledge, career guidance, and skills that have accelerated their professional development. Meanwhile, mentors have honed their leadership and coaching abilities, resulting in greater job satisfaction and a stronger sense of purpose.

The program has also boosted engagement within organizations by fostering meaningful connections and supporting personal growth. Many participants now feel more valued in their careers, leading to higher retention rates and reduced turnover. By pairing eager-to-learn mentees with experienced mentors, we’ve successfully bridged skill gaps and nurtured collaboration across the construction industry.

The program encourages creative problem-solving through the exchange of fresh perspectives from mentees and the industry wisdom provided by mentors. This dynamic has resulted in innovative solutions that benefit the construction sector as a whole. Numerous success stories have emerged, with many mentees reaching career milestones thanks to the guidance of their mentors.

Expanding Mentoring Opportunities for All

This year, thanks to Mentorloop, we nearly doubled our participants. We welcomed 33 mentees, with 32 continuing, and 37 mentors, five of whom are on standby for additional support. NAWIC WA remains committed to inclusivity, offering mentoring opportunities to construction professionals across all backgrounds and levels, from mid-management to early-career mentees.

"This year, thanks to Mentorloop, we nearly doubled our participants."

We tailored workshops to support leadership development for mid-level professionals and conducted personal conversations with earlier-stage mentees to understand their career goals before matching them with mentors. By closely tracking their progress and ensuring that mentors understand their mentees’ needs, we maintain an inclusive and supportive program for all.

Building a Culture of Mentorship in NAWIC WA

At NAWIC WA, mentorship is becoming a natural and expected part of our organizational culture. Council and committee members are encouraged to embrace mentoring, and we share our success with other NAWIC chapters, such as NAWIC SA, which has now adopted Mentorloop for their own mentoring program.

Interest in our program is growing, with more employers willing to sponsor employees as mentees or mentors. During project huddles, we promote mentoring success stories to embed a mentoring mindset in daily work life, aiming to make mentoring an organic, instinctive practice.

Our goal is to integrate Mentorloop into the fabric of NAWIC WA, ensuring that mentorship continues to drive growth and development for construction professionals across Western Australia.

Growing the NAWIC WA Mentoring Program

Looking ahead, we plan to expand our mentoring program by creating a robust community through networking events and building an alumni network to keep past and present participants connected. We envision fostering a culture of lifelong learning, where mentorship becomes an ongoing journey rather than a one-time engagement.

We also plan to invite former mentees who have achieved great success to share their stories as guest speakers, inspiring current participants to maintain long-term mentoring relationships. Our goal is to double, or even triple, the number of participants next year, further strengthening the mentoring community within NAWIC WA.

I am incredibly grateful to have found Mentorloop early this year. Their support has been instrumental in elevating NAWIC WA’s Mentoring Program. Special thanks to Jess Benham and Janina Mercado for their invaluable guidance. With Mentorloop’s help, our program has flourished, and we look forward to seeing other NAWIC chapters, like NAWIC SA, continue to adopt Mentorloop for their mentoring programs.