As the community grows, the 21st Century Kartini is often confronted with the question, “Why does equal representation really matter, and what benefits does it bring?” Beyond the fundamental principle of equal rights for all human beings and social responsibility, having an equal representation of women and men in a team or organization can be a game-changer. It introduces a diversity of perspectives which sparks creativity and innovation, as well as improved decision-making process.
Women bring their unique skills and approaches to the table which could enrich the problem-solving abilities of a team. In fact, scientific research has also shown a clear link between gender diversity and team performance, with studies in the US demonstrating that profit organizations with a near-equal representation of women and men tend to perform better in terms of revenue and profits (Fine et al., 2020). Moreover, having equal representation and diversity in a field like STEM is more important than ever as we urgently need transformative solutions to address global issues such as climate change.
However, achieving equitable representation in STEM is still challenging, and progress is slower than we would hope. Research suggests that, without significant changes, it may take another 20 years to close the gender gap in fields like marine science (Ahmadia et al., 2021). It is expected to be even longer for disciplines such as engineering. The underrepresentation of women in STEM can be caused by various factors, including the lack of female role models and the persistence of gender stereotypes that affect individuals pursuing STEM education and careers (Beede et al., 2011). One powerful way to tackle these issues and help accelerate an equitable future is through mentorship.
Mentorship could build a meaningful and supportive community where women can learn from each other, share their experiences, and offer support and encouragement both personal and academic or professional (Canfield et al., 2023) Supportive environment created through mentorship contributes to the retention and recruitment of female students or talents. In addition to that, mentorship isn't just about the personal growth of the mentor and mentees, it's also a catalyst for advancing the STEM field as a whole (Hund et al., 2018). In essence, mentorship isn't just a helping hand, it's a guiding light towards a more inclusive and innovative future.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2020) defined mentorship as
“a professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners through the provision of career and psychosocial support”.
In other words, mentorship is a process that involves individuals with varying levels of experience and expertise engaging in meaningful interactions. Within this dynamic, a more experienced individual assumes the role of the mentor, while the counterpart is designated as the mentee. This mentor-mentee relationship holds substantial potential for fostering personal and professional growth for both parties.
For the mentee, mentorship provides a unique opportunity to observe and model the professional behaviour and accomplishments of their mentor. Moreover, it offers guidance and validation in dealing with the uncertainties that often come with navigating their academic or professional journey. Furthermore, through mentorship, mentees can increase their learning and skill development, thereby enhancing their potential contribution to their field and refining their professional approach (Long, 2018).
It is important to highlight that mentorship is a two-way interaction since mentorship offers benefits to the mentors as well. It could provide mentors with personal satisfaction, fostering a sense of collaboration within networks that share similar interests and values, as well as contributing to their academic and professional performance (Coates, 2012). Another study also highlights three main qualities of effective mentors which are flexibility, effective communication, and trustworthiness (Hund et al., 2018). Thus, by assuming the role of a mentor, individuals can simultaneously practice and improve their interpersonal skills while providing meaningful support to others at the same time.
Aside from referring to published research, we also take a closer look and revisit the very first mentorship program organized by 21st Century Kartini in 2021. We interviewed Rizka Akmalia, one of our mentors, and Alya Rizaldi, one of our mentees, to get a deeper understanding of their personal experiences and perspectives from their participation in the mentorship program.
21st Century Kartini: What motivated you to take a role as a mentor?
Rizka Akmalia: In principle, I would like to make any contribution that I could to help others in navigating their life. I notice that sometimes, including myself, we tend to downplay our own roles as a woman, even though in reality, others may not see us that way. I would like to help boost the confidence of other women which I find it’s worthwhile. When I was offered to be a mentor for 21st Century Kartini, although I didn’t feel that I had a full capacity as a mentor yet, however, I also believed that there might be something that others could learn from me, and perhaps I could learn from my mentee as well.
For me, I like to learn from people around me by observing their life choices. How their circumstances and their aspirations help them shape their goals which can bring valuable lessons for me. In this mentorship program, I have two mentees, Riska and Ria. Both of them are incredible in which I think they already know what their goals are in the near future. As a mentor, I found it meaningful when I helped them structure their actions toward those goals, and address some of their doubts and uncertainties. The whole program helped me reflect on myself, maybe I also have doubts like them, and there are probably many others who share similar issues too and what they need is a mentor to help them validate all of that.
21st Century Kartini: what inspired you to join our mentorship program?
Alya Rizaldi: I started my career journey as a pipeline engineer and later became a port engineer. After two years of entering the workforce, back then in 2021, I felt that I would like to further explore a new role and develop my expertise. Also, at that time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the quarantine situation allowed me to reflect on the direction of my career development.
In my previous work, the majority of the team members were men. As a woman in engineering, I was uncertain about the direction of my career and I wanted to find someone to look up to as a role model. So, I felt that I needed a mentor. I began to read articles related to the maritime industry and came across an article written by Hafida Fahmiasari in the Jakarta Post. This article sparked my interest further and her career path has truly been an inspiration for me I wish to have her as my mentor one day. Afterwards, I proactively attended various webinars or online seminars about the industry. I decided to reach out and connect with Hafida through LinkedIn and Instagram. Shortly after that, I saw on Hafida's Instagram that 21st Century Kartini was organizing a mentorship program. So, I applied for it, and Alhamdulillah thankfully I was accepted to be one of her mentees. It seems like it might have been a manifestation as well.
A mentorship program typically consists of four main stages which are initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition (Hunt & Michael, 1983). The initiation stage marks the beginning of the mentor-mentee relationship, where roles are defined, and goals and expectations are set. Following the initiation stage, the mentee’s skill is cultivated and the mentor provides encouragement, support, and advice to help mentees navigate their challenges. The separation stage comes when the mentorship reaches its goals or the end of its planned duration, changing the relationship significantly. Finally, the redefinition stage is characterized by a shift towards a peer-like friendship after a period of separation, with the mentor-mentee relationship evolving into lasting mutual support.
The four stages of mentorship may not always have distinct boundaries, as the dynamics between the mentor and mentee can vary. Let's ask Alya about how their mentorship relationships have evolved and what meaningful moments she experienced with her mentor
21st Century Kartini: Can you share your mentorship journey with Hafida?
Alya Rizaldi: During the sessions, I shared that I found maritime economics fascinating. I have researched a little about the field, and port economists not only focused on the engineering details, but also on a bigger picture of understanding the demand in the region, and how the macroeconomic analysis can impact the development of a port. Having a mentor like Hafida who is working in the same industry helped me capture a clearer picture of what are the roles that I can grow into. It also guided me in picturing the career trajectory that I can pursue in the future. There are so many opportunities that I did not know previously.
Back then during the mentorship program, I was also in the process of recruitment to join a port consulting company in Jakarta. I was trying to figure out how team dynamics and the culture of the company are. I did some research on the company and found that their projects are not only in Indonesia but also in the whole Asia Pacific region. I would need to collaborate with a more international and diverse team. Since my mentor was previously working in the company that I applied to, and she knew the team well, she mentioned that my manager is also her mentor and has been very supportive. So, how cool is that? I get to work with the mentor of my mentor!
I learned a lot from the conversation with my mentor. She is truly hardworking, she shared her education journey from her bachelor's study, and then her master's degree in the Netherlands. She did some internships there too, and built networks which helped her accelerate her career further. Our conversation is a great motivation, if you want to be like Hafida, you have to be hardworking like her too.
The benefits of mentorship often inspire mentees to become mentors later in their lives. Rizka, our mentor, shared that she had a mentor herself in the past, and to this day, she continues to see the positive impact of having a mentor, both in the professional and personal aspects of her life. Similar to Rizka, our mentee Alya has also embraced a new role as a mentor for another organization.
21st Century Kartini: Did you have any mentors previously before taking on this role?
Rizka Akmalia: Yes, I first joined a mentorship program when I was in college. In my freshman year, I was a mentee, and in my sophomore year, I took on the role of a mentor. Also, during the initial two years of working at my current office, I participated in an internal mentorship program as a mentee. In those two years, we had monthly sessions with mentors. I truly felt like I had a friend to talk to about work-related providing a space for discussions and assistance in logical thinking at work. Having a mentor to talk to helps me refine my perspective and approach towards a problem. I need to talk to other people to reflect on things. That's why I feel the need for a mentor because when I learn something on my own, I can become either undermotivated or, on the other hand, overwhelmed by the amount of information I'm trying to absorb
21st Century Kartini: How was your journey when you “pay it forward” by becoming a mentor in another mentorship program?Alya Rizaldi: At that time, I was contacted by a student organization from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and asked if I was interested in being a speaker in a forum. This forum also had one mentorship session, and there were 10 mentees involved. Our discussion was mostly about what are their career options, what kinds of jobs they can apply for as an ocean engineering graduate, and how to get more involved in student organizations. So, it was quite different from the discussion that I had with my mentor. It's more or less a sharing session and it was fun. I also mentioned that having a mentor is important and encourages them to reach out to their role models.
Both research findings and the experiences of Rizka and Alya highlighted the positive impact of mentorship for mentors and mentees. Mentorship could enable the development of valuable skills, and networking, as well as provide an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on their own lives and the lives of others. The ripple effect of mentorship can be incredibly powerful, as mentees often pay it forward by becoming mentors themselves in the future. It's a game-changer, and we strongly encourage everyone to give it a try!
Author: Dinda Mazeda
References:
Hund, A. K., Churchill, A. C., Faist, A. M., Havrilla, C. A., Love Stowell, S. M., McCreery, H. F., Ng, J., Pinzone, C. A., & Scordato, E. S. C. (2018). Transforming mentorship in STEM by training scientists to be better leaders. Ecology and Evolution, 8(20), 9962–9974.
Hunt, D. M., & Michael, C. (1983). Mentorship: A Career Training and Development Tool. Academy of Management Review, 8(3), 475–485
Long, P. G. (2018). Dear Mentor: A Reflection on the Impact of Mentorship in Higher Education. The Vermont Connection, 39(1)
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM. National Academies Press.
