The 5th of July 2021 marked the launch of the Women in Green Hydrogen ‘Empowering Women through Women’ Mentoring Program.

The program pairs senior experts in green hydrogen with those in the early stages of their career to provide a space for women to share their experiences, challenges, and ambitions in the sector.

Over 50 women participated in the Kick-Off Event from across five continents and met their assigned mentor for the first time. Each of the 39 pairs participating in this years’ program were matched according to industry expertise and to facilitate a global exchange of knowledge.

The Kick-Off Event firstly guided participants through the WiGH Mentoring Tool Kit, and then split off into breakout sessions where both parties had the chance to express their desired outcomes, including: exchanging experiences, building a network, and the chance to reflect on personal career developments.

Julia Epp from the WiGH team and facilitator of the program said:

“This mentoring program provides such a valuable space for experts in green hydrogen to share their expertise and support other women in the early stages of their career.”

Funda Arslan, PhD Candidate at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, a mentee in the program said:

“I’m very happy to have the opportunity to talk to another woman who can offer me insight, knowledge, and tips to navigate a traditionally male-dominated sector.”

The program includes five formal meetings scheduled throughout its 12-month duration, with the possibility of meeting informally – online or in person – as often as suits each mentor/mentee pair.

Participants also have the chance to contribute to the WiGH Linkedin and Twitter channels and prepare a blog post for the WiGH website. Please follow along, like, share and re-tweet! We want to continue to amplify the voices, expertise, and work of our members, and that’s only possible with your ongoing engagement and support.

A huge thank you to Julia Epp and Kathrin Goldhammer for making the mentoring program possible and for facilitating the Kick-Off Event. A special thanks also goes to Anna Seefried, Ann-Kathrin Lipponer and Carolynn Jaworska. You can find them all on the WiGH Expert Database.

To find out more about the WiGH Mentoring Program, visit: Mentoring Program – Women in Green Hydrogen.