Field report: Mentoring program "Taking the lead as a woman"

By Hannah Brockmann

This year, I was able to take part in the mentoring program "Taking the Lead as a Woman", which was offered for the first time by Faculty 09 in cooperation with Gender Equality, Leading Ladies In Town and Unternehmerschaft Niederrhein. Participating in this program gave me valuable insights and experience and helped me in my personal development.

I met with my mentor every three to four weeks to work on my personal goals. I became aware of my strengths through various exercises. The exchange with my mentor not only allowed me to share experiences, but also to have valuable discussions on various topics. I often reflected on myself and got to know myself differently as a result. My mentor encouraged and supported me in facing various challenges and leaving my comfort zone.

As part of the program, I attended various workshops, including one on career planning and a voice and body language workshop to improve my presentation style. These workshops provided helpful impulses for individual concerns.

The opportunity to complete an internship at my mentor's company was also very special. This not only allowed me to gain professional insights, but also valuable experience.

Overall, I am grateful for the experiences I had as part of the mentoring program. I have emerged from the program with increased self-confidence. My mentor's guidance and support along the way was very valuable to me. I was able to successfully overcome challenges and develop personally. We will stay in contact beyond the program, for which I am very grateful.