SOUTHFIELD – The Michigan Council of Women In Technology initiated its 2008 career mentoring program on June 16th at Automation Alley in Troy where more than 26 mentor/mentee pairs will be served by this year?s program ? an increase from the 11 who participated in 2007.

The program?s volunteer mentors are senior level IT leaders/executives, donating their time to other MCWT members, with the objective of enriching the ?mentee? experience; creating personal and professional development goals for each ?mentee?; and assisting each ?mentee? in the achievement of her ultimate goals.

The program included two exceptional motivational speakers who worked with the Mentors and Mentees in separate breakout sessions. Jill Jordan, Co-founder and Personal Branding Coach of Smart Women?s Coaching worked with mentors; and Michelle Pallas, Managing Partner of Lighthouse Consulting Partners, (a global provider of training solutions for organizations collaborating in a virtual environment across geographic boundaries) worked with mentees.

Their initial presentations set the stage for the program, for all participants. Surprising statistics that were cited included the facts that:

75 percent of the surveyed FORTUNE 500 CEOs cited mentoring as one of the top three factors in their successful careers.

Only 30 percent of all companies surveyed have adopted formal mentoring practices.

Companies with a mentoring program have a 71 percent increase in improved leadership and managerial skills.

Employees that have mentors earn between $5 and $22,000 more than employees who have not had mentors.

Having coached more than 500 Mentor/Mentee partnerships across Southeast Michigan, Jill Jordan provided strong insight, based on experience, to the teams.

?If I could do anything over in my career path, it would be to engage in mentoring partnerships earlier in my career ? both in the role of a Mentee and of a Mentor,? said Jordan. ?Having access to a trusted advisor, (one providing honest insights), is an opportunity that all female leaders mention as having made the difference in their success. Not only do I treasure my personal mentors, coaches, and confidantes, I take pride in knowing that I, too, give back and continue the circle of mentoring!?

After the breakout sessions, which included mentor & mentee guidelines for success, the ?pairs? found each other, exchanged program goals and scheduled their next meeting.

The MCWT will be hosting two additional meetings in October and March to learn more about the successes of the mentoring pairs.

The MCWT Team who created and dynamically lead the program include:

Deb Swink, VP of CSI Leasing, Chair of MCWT Membership Committee

Jan Rydzon, Director at DTE Energy, and Chair of MCWT Mentoring

Ann Marie Bonardelli, Senior Project Leader at EDS

Becky Killarney, Marketing Director at Plante Moran

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