Wireline Issue 43 - Autumn 2018

“ With mentoring learning is continuous. You’re not just being told stuff – it’s more holistic, based on an exchange of views and ideas. Sarah Clark

”

Sarah Clark, who leads mentoring for the network, says the

The programme

emerged from an acknowledgment around five

years ago that there was a gap in the way industry was developing its project management capabilities. Under its auspices, an offshore project management steering group was formed which in turn led to the introduction of a two-level mentoring scheme: a foundation programme for people with at least three years’ background in project-related roles or following an academic route into the discipline, and a strategic programme for personnel with at least five years’ experience including managing complex projects. The ECITB uses an anonymised pairing process and development is based in part on a competency gap analysis completed by prospective mentees. “Mentoring is one of the best ways to help relatively inexperienced people who have built up their knowledge through training programmes, for example,” says ECITB director of operations Andy Brown. “It provides

programme structure not only helps those involved pursue their career ambitions, but supports AXIS’ wider objectives of promoting gender balance by broadening the horizons of everyone taking part. She believes that mentoring, as an approach to people development, complements other forms of training. “If you go on a training course, you perhaps take about 10% of the imparted knowledge away with you,” she says. “There may be resources to support that learning afterwards, but with mentoring it’s continuous. You’re not just being told stuff – it’s more holistic, based on an exchange of views and ideas.” Exploring resources Some programmes have also been set up to aid specific disciplines. Since 2014, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has run a successful offshore project management mentoring programme that has so far brought together nearly 50 pairings.

a context for the individuals to implement that knowledge.”

The fact that the programmes are independent of the workplace is beneficial too – all three eliminate

3 8

| W I R E L I N E | AUTUMN 2018