The Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) is seeking volunteers to serve as State Champions for the 2025 Mentoring Program.
State Champions are vital to the program’s success, playing a key role in:
• Matching Mentors and Mentees: Reviewing applications and strategically pairing mentors with mentees based on their career goals and expertise (4-12 hours over April-May; more for states with larger number of participants).
• Building community: Organising at least three social events throughout the year (May-November) to foster connections and networking amongst participants.
• Collaboration and support: Attending monthly committee meetings and in some instances, working with other State Champions and the AIG Support team.
• Seek and pursue sponsors: Identify prospective federal and local state program sponsors
• Communication: Helping to draft communication materials for mentors and mentees.
Why Become a State Champion?
• Make a difference in the geoscience community by supporting career development.
• Gain valuable leadership and organisational skills.
• Network with other passionate geoscientists.
• Contribute to a program with a proven track record of success (over 200 mentor-mentee pairings since its inception).
Who can apply?
This is a great opportunity for AIG members who are interested in:
• Mentoring and supporting others in their careers.
• Contributing to a positive and engaging program.
• Building their leadership skills
We highly encourage previous state champions to apply!
How to Apply:
If you’re enthusiastic about mentoring and making a difference in the geoscience field, apply now through the application form: https://forms.office.com/r/XT7dt4qqmn. Nominations close Friday, 13 December 2024.
Nominations will be assessed by a steering committee who will select the best fit for each State Champion role.
Don’t miss this chance to be a leader and make a positive impact. Apply today!
2024 Mentoring Program registration is NOW CLOSED.
The AIG Mentoring Programs began in 2015 as an initiative of the National Graduate Committee. The Programs aim to connect undergraduate students, MSc/PhD Candidates, and early, mid career and more mature geoscientists with senior geoscience professionals to seek practical advice, direction and feedback on their future careers.
AIG Mentoring Programs are active in most States including a Distance Mentoring Program for remote and travelling geoscientists. The programs have formal, face-to-face events and allow programs which run over 5-6 months annually. Mentor-mentee contact is through private face to face, telephone or video meetings as well as programmed formal meetings and social events. This allows time for the development of strong relationships between mentees and mentors and encourages networking with the general geoscience community.
Our program connects younger geoscientists with more experienced industry professionals and provides networking opportunities within the wider geoscience community. The aim is to build our community by providing emerging geoscientists with advice and experience from knowledgeable professionals who are looking to give back to the profession.
Our mentors come from a variety of geoscience sectors and provide practical advice and guidance on a number of areas of interest, regarding the beginning, maintaining and/or changes in a healthy career in geoscience.
We at AIG believe mentoring is an important part of developing and sustaining the geoscience community and welcome your participation in these programs.
The AIG Mentoring Programs are now available to all AIG members. Participants must be a current member (all categories) of the AIG.
Free to All AIG members.
Satisfactory completion of the program (attending formal events where possible and regular communication between pairings) will earn each Student Mentee a $50 voucher towards the cost of attending an AIG CPD event (workshop/symposium) of their choice.
Both Mentors and Mentees can claim CPD points for their participation in the programs. Further information on CPD points can be found here.
During the program mentees and mentors must commit to meet regularly to discuss and work on their mentoring program objectives which they will set at the start of the program.
In addition to mentor-mentee meetings, the program includes three formal events:
Programs are currently running in WA, NSW, VIC, QLD and SA both in urban and some regional centres (Kalgoorlie, Townsville, Orange) where participation is sufficient.
For people located outside the urban and regional areas or in a state without an active program, the Distance Program is for you. This program uses online technology to facilitate mentoring, regardless of location.
For further information on the programs prior to registering you should read:
AIG Mentoring Programs 2022 Handbook
Registrations are closed for the 2024 Mentoring Program but will re-open early 2025.
Note: Participants in the AIG Mentoring Programs must be current AIG Members. For further information on joining AIG go to https://bookings.aig.org.au/about-aig/membership/membership-application-approval-process/
You may also sign up to our AIG mailing list for updates, as well as additional industry and branch news.
For more details about the AIG Mentoring Program please contact us by email at AIGMentoringProgram-NationalChair@aig.org.au.
Real challenges, real outcomes and real results based on mutual respect, confidentially and commitment.
