Much attention is given to the importance of education, training, and apprenticeships to build a workforce pipeline. After an individual is hired, another step comes into focus: mentoring.
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), a leader in providing experts, research, and advocacy on challenges in the current workplace, said mentorships can be “career-defining and life-changing” in shaping how mentees learn about their chosen field while also learning to network and nurture their career growth.
However, SHRM finds mentorships benefit both groups involved.
“Mentorship is a win-win situation,” says Adrienne Mitchell, SHRM-CP, senior people operations partner at software firm DuckDuckGo in Paoli, Pa., in a report on the SHRM website (www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/mentorship-models-for-a-diverse-workforce). “Mentors benefit by refining their leadership skills, gaining fresh insights, and the reward that comes from seeing your mentee hit their goals. There is no greater joy than knowing you were a part of someone’s success story.”
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Mentor-Protégé Program is showing success for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). The company recently announced it has added seven small businesses to the program, which the news release said is a record number. Five will focus on construction, one on supplies, and one on staffing and development.
“These small businesses will bring innovative solutions and specialized skills that play a critical role in supporting our missions and expanding our supply chain capabilities,” Dave Dietz, SRNS Senior Director, Supply Chain Procurement, was quoted.
Started in 2015, the program aims to strengthen its commitment to promoting diverse subcontractors for the Savannah River Site (SRS) complex. What began with an initial investment of $400,000 by SRNS has grown to $41 million.
Three graduates of the program, US&S Facility Services, CRC Technologies, and Strativia, participated in the program’s 2024 Center of Excellence event. They showed the new participants how to create a best practice outline for their businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this program helps enhance their capabilities, enabling them to successfully compete for contracts with DOE and other federal agencies,” said Staci Peters, SRNS Senior Vice President of Business Services.
One of the graduates, CRC Technologies had quantifiable success during its five-year tenure in the program. The women-owned small business was awarded $98 million in subcontracts during that time.
The DOE Mentor-Protégé Program lasts two years. It also provides an option for three additional one-year extensions as needed.
Mentorships are also important to a local organization that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses realize their dreams.
Eric Parker, CEO of Make Startups, said while Augusta has made strides in nurturing entrepreneurs and startup businesses, more is needed.
“There’s a lot of work that exists in the middle space between having an idea and being able to articulate that vision out to the community through a value proposition that people can then pay for,” he told ABD. “And there’s an art that exists to that. And I think that for our community to continue to grow in its success, we need to have more people engaged in that process, both as founders, but also as mentors and as investors. So, if there’s anyone out there who would like to give back, who’s had some success, just reach out, because we always need more mentors in our community to help startups.”
Make Startups is based in theClubhou.se in the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center.
Information is available at www.makestartups.com/.
Learn more about DOE’s Mentor Protégé Program at www.srs.gov/general/busiops/PMMD/mentor.htm
