Women4Cyber Mentorship Programmes
Mentorship helps career success. The Women4Cyber Mentorship programmes are designed to help women improve their skills and advance their cybersecurity careers at all levels
Applications for Mentors are still open!!
Applications for mentees are closed!
The 4th edition of the mentorship Programme will start in March 2023. We partner with companies to find the right mentors for our programmes. If you would like to involve your company please fill in the form below or drop us an email at hello@women4cyber.eu !
The programme will have a duration of 6 months, starting in March 2023. It will be held online through a mentoring platform and in English.
The programme will be held in collaboration with industry partners. The partnering entities will provide volunteer mentors (women and men of all levels) to the W4C programme. (The companies involved will be disclosed when the programme starts).
The mentors coming from the different entities will provide personal and professional guidance, share their experiences, and help mentees identify and achieve their career goals.
Mentees will be selected by the W4C Team after completing an online application process, and each mentee will be assigned to a mentor based on their experience and career goals.
This time around, thanks to the recent launch of the Women4Cyber Academy, participants interested will also access training resources, discounts and scholarships!
CALLING MENTORS:
As you know, navigating a cybersecurity career is not always easy and we face some obstacles, and challenges along the road. We also know that you not only made it through but that you thrived! No matter where you are in your cybersecurity career, your guidance, support, and expertise will make a difference in someone’s life. The commitment is minimal (1-2 hours a month), but the satisfaction of making a difference in people’s lives is invaluable!
What we expect of Mentors:
Commit to the 6-month programme, meet with the assigned mentee in a virtual setting once a month (or more), and participate in periodic surveys and programme dissemination efforts.
CALLING MENTEES:
Whoever and wherever you are in your cybersecurity career, the Women4Cyber community is here to support you as you move forward. We are all lifelong learners and engaging in a genuine mentoring relationship can only help you hone your professional development skills, stay focused on specific professional goals, and broaden your horizons to new ideas and opportunities. The 6-month mentorship program aims to improve your skills and level in all areas of cybersecurity to prepare for the next stage of your career.
What we expect of Mentees:
Commit to the 6-month programme, meet with the assigned mentor in a virtual setting once a month (or more), and participate in periodic surveys and programme dissemination efforts.
Since I started the mentorship Programme and with the support of my mentor, I have been promoted to CISO!
Given that I will now have to manage a team, I will work with my mentor to improve my leadership and soft skills.
CALLING INDUSTRY PARTNERS:
Partners from previous editions:
We are looking for companies that want to do their bit to make the field of cybersecurity more diverse. Given the huge demand from mentees to get career guidance, and the incredible benefits demonstrated in previous editions, we partner with companies to ensure that we have a wide and varied pool of mentors and that these mentors have the availability to meet once per month with their mentees.
What we expect from companies: We expect companies to launch an internal call for volunteer mentors, by sharing the resources provided by W4C. Companies should allow their volunteer mentors to dedicate some time to their assigned mentees.
What we offer: The company is featured on our social media channels as a mentorship partner, showcasing the company’s efforts to attract more women to the field. The company logo is displayed on the mentorship page, and othe rpromotion material, and additionally, we can share vacancies, events etc. with the participants of the programme.
To partner with us, or learn more, get in touch at hello@women4cyber.eu or through the form below.
SELECTION CRITERIA
MENTORS
- Women or men working within the cybersecurity industry, with more than 3 years of experience in the field
- High level of competence in one or more of the areas of expertise related to cybersecurity
- Recognised by her/his peers as a leading expert in her/his field
- Based in Europe (Geographical Europe)
- Excellent command of English
- Willing to dedicate their time to helping women advance their cybersecurity career (commitment to meet at least once a month with the assigned mentee)
More information for mentors here!
MENTEES
- Open to everyone regardless of age, looking for help in their career development
- Based in Europe
- Excellent command of English
- University students/Junior professionals/Senior professionals
and/or - Working in cybersecurity but looking to specialise
and/or - Not working in cybersecurity but looking for a career change
APPLICATION PROCESS
All participants (mentors and mentees) must apply through the mentoring platform PushFar.
Applications close on February 15, 2023.
The Women4Cyber Team will select participants based on the criteria above and match participants based on goals and areas of expertise.
FAQ
Timeline
- January 2023: Application for mentors/mentees open
- Feb 15, 2023: Deadline for applications from mentors/mentees
- Feb 2023: Mentor and mentee pairing, selected mentors/mentees informed by email
- March 2023: First meeting and start of the 6-month mentorship.
- June 2023: Networking event
- Sep 2023: End of the Mentorship Programme
How do you match people?
Matchmaking will be based on available candidates and areas of interest. We will pair mentees with someone in a slightly removed role from theirs, who has more experience (typically between 3-5 years more experience) and has progressed their career in a similar way to the way the mentee wishes to develop their own career.
In order to work out who the right mentor is for you, it is very important that you consider what your goals and objectives over the next 6-12 months are, and state them clearly in your profile when filling in the application.
What does this relationship look like?
You will meet regularly, at least monthly, to connect, discuss different career-related topics, update on major developments, and discuss successes, opportunities, and goals. Every mentor-mentee relationship is differnent and based on the goals of the mentee.
Share interesting events/opportunities on an ongoing basis.
Introduce your mentor/mentee to others in your network.
Share interesting articles, materials, or resources on an ongoing basis.
When will I be matched?
Matches will be made in late February, and participants will be informed by email. We hope to find a mentor for everyone, but it will depend on availability and compatibility.
