Women in Solar Energy Launches Mentorship Program to Promote Member Career Advancement & Opportunity

SAN FRANCISCO - July 14, 2015 - PRLog -- Women in Solar Energy (WISE) (http://www.solwomen.org/), a unified voice for the advancement of women in the solar energy industry, launches its Mentorship Program (http://www.solwomen.org/new-page-3/) this week at Intersolar North America (https://www.intersolar.us/en/home.html) in San Francisco. The program, currently in its pilot stage, serves 24 participants (12 mentor/mentee matches). Exclusively mentee-driven, program mentees are responsible for developing the plan for what they want to achieve in working with their mentor. Match goals include everything from general career advice to matches that facilitate reaching specific professional goals.

Mentors are advisers and industry subject matter experts. In their capacity as advisers, they discuss mentees’ career goals and help devise a path for mentees to achieve their goals. As industry experts, mentors provide invaluable industry insights based on personal experience to allow the mentee make well-informed decisions regarding their career.

The Mentorship Program committee includes four WISE volunteers from a variety of industry experiences and professional backgrounds—Cassandra Bowe (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cassandra-bowe/1a/a6a/880), Pamela Cargill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcargill), Page Crahan (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/page-crahan/2/492/759) and Norma Peralta (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peralta). For the pilot, the committee members conducted interviews of prospective mentors and mentees in order to facilitate matches that would best utilize the skills and meet the needs of each party. Participants include highly experienced solar executives all the way to individuals evaluating whether or not to transition into a career in the solar industry.

“This program exemplifies WISE’s mission to not only support women already in the industry, but also those who are considering transferring in from other backgrounds,” said Cargill. “We are gratified by the professionals participating in the program pilot and look forward to rolling out the program’s full potential in the fall.”

Through the program, mentors and mentees are matched in a year long career coaching, industry support, and networking engagement. The committee will evaluate these initial 12 matches and program effectiveness over the next three months in order to facilitate a full launch in the fall. Matching will take place every spring and fall depending on elected participation and availability of matches.

Interested individuals can apply to the WISE Mentoring Program during the initial WISE membership application process (http://www.solwomen.org/sponsor/), or if they are already an active member, they can update their profile on WISEWeb (http://solarwomen.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp) to indicate their interest or availability at any time.

WISE continues its rapid growth and expansion of services and support to women in solar. It also recently expanded its Board of Directors to include Emeline Minor (currently Vice President of Business Development at Kilowatt Financial) as its Board Treasurer.

Over the past year, WISE has gained tremendous support in the solar community, including corporate donations from the leading trade associations of the U.S. solar energy industry. Become a WISE sponsor now at http://www.solwomen.org/sponsor-1/

About WISE:

Women in Solar Energy (WISE) is the solar industry’s only 501(c)3 nonprofit membership organization singularly focused on the recruitment, advancement and retention of women in the solar energy industry. WISE accomplishes this through core programs focused on workforce development, mentorship, networking events, as well as SheSpeaks Solar, its initiative to increase speaking opportunities for women at solar industry trade shows. For more information, please visit www.solwomen.org.