Mentoring

WPC Mentoring Programme - 5th Mentoring Cycle starts soon

The WPC is committed to involving young people in the oil and gas industry and recognises the importance of attracting, retaining and developing talent for the future.

As part of the WPC Young Professionals Committee’s (YP) mission, one key focus point is to “bridge the generation gap through mentorship networks”. In order to achieve that objective, the WPC started a “Pilot Mentoring Programme” in October 2010.

The aim of the WPC Mentoring Programme is to provide young people with an opportunity to directly engage with senior industry experts to discuss the main issues and draw upon their experiences, expectations and suggestions.

WPC Mentoring circles provide a supportive relationship between an experienced member of the oil and gas industry and a small group of early career professionals or students.  Mentors encourage and provide perspectives on their profession, experience, expertise and advice to mentees.  In return, mentees discuss their questions, thoughts and concerns on diverse issues related to the energy industry with their mentor and their peers in the group.

This engagement is aimed at developing global cooperation through direct communication and access to a network of experience from an international non-corporate perspective to consider alternative strategies, advice and to achieve a common understanding. 

Now going into its 5th edition, the Mentoring Programme involves a minimum of 50 participants. Each mentoring circle consists of a small group (4-5) of young people, both students and young professionals, and these mentees are assigned to a senior industry professional who acts as their mentor. These international groups regularly get together in a conference call to discuss a set of issues, both industry and career related and in order to allow for regular communication mentees are matched with mentors from similar time zones.

The programme is set up as follows:

Implementation:            

Step 1:  WPC Young Professionals Committee (YP) Members and National YP members are invited to paritcipate as mentees in the programme. Senior WPC executives and leaders in the National Committees are invited to become mentors. 

Step 2: The confirmed mentors and mentees are matched according to the time zone at their location. Notifications are then sent to mentors and mentees with an introduction and the mentors start the discussions.

Step 3: Mentors set up the conference calls with the group and select a few topics to start with. Once they start talking the circle decides together on the topics for the following calls.

Step 4: Summaries from the calls are sent to all group members and the coordinators to monitor the progress and track the discussion points.

Step 5: Mentors and Mentees may have the opportunity to meet face-to-face at the 23rd World Petroleum Congress in Houston, USA in December 2021.  

Step 6: Towards the end of the Programme, all the groups come together for a joint meeting to discuss the outcomes of the Programme and share their experiences.

Step 7: At the end of the Mentoring Programme cycle, mentees receive certificates for their participation in the programme. 

HOW TO APPLY

The applications system for the 5th WPC Mentoring Programme is now open - applications must be received by 29 January 2021 using the online application form available here.

This cycle will run from March 2021 to March 2023 so a 2 year commitment is required of all participants.

For further information or any questions about the WPC Mentoring Programme, please contact yp-wpc@world-petroleum.org or wpcmentoring@outlook.com.