2022-02-23
Mentorship programme boosts confidence
Inspire, motivate, and engage students so that individuals of all genders feel welcome in the world of engineering. That is the objective of a mentorship programme that Syntronic forms part of, through Uppsala University’s Network for Female and Non-binary Engineers (SIV). Participants now report that the programme is having a positive impact on their confidence, motivation, and creativity.
In the programme, bright female and non-binary engineering students are matched with experienced mentors with technology-intense careers. The students then benefit from confidential, free, and unconditional guidance sessions with their assigned mentors.
“I choose to be mentor since I want to help students achieve their full potential,” she says. “I also want to make them aware of the opportunities that are open to them.”
– Anna Persson, PhD holder in physics whose current role at Syntronic involves test development
Anna Persson, PhD holder in physics, Test developer Syntronic
“I don’t stress about my future anymore”
Engineering student Lovisa Rygaard, who specialises in applied physics, describes her monthly guidance sessions with her mentor, Syntronic’s Anna Persson, as a positive and formative experience.
“Before I started working with Anna, I used to feel very stressed about my future,” she says. “The opportunity to sit down with an experienced mentor once a month and get individualized advice focused on career and education has really strengthened my confidence. After each session, I feel calm and inspired. I don’t stress about my future anymore,” Lovisa Rygaard shares.
Lovisa Rygaard, Engineering student specialised in applied physics at Uppsala University
“Having female role models is a confidence booster”
The mentorship programme shines a light on women in engineering, as a strategy for greater inclusivity. “Engineering is still a male-dominated field but by showing that women are represented in it as well, we can help making young people aware of opportunities that are open to them, which will hopefully lead to better gender-balance in the sector in the future,” Anna Persson comments.
Lovisa Rygaard views female role models as a potential game changer. “The majority of students in my applied physics programme are male and although I haven’t experienced any discrimination or demeaning behaviour based on gender, the imbalance definitely affects me,” she shares.
“When I meet engineers like Anna, who is an inspiration to me since she both has a PhD and programming experience, I feel inspired to reach out and grab my own piece of the pie. Having female role models is a confidence booster,” Lovisa Ryggard comments.
“Interacting with students can lead to new ideas”
In addition to promoting gender balance in the sector and contributing to the students’ development, the programme also has benefits in store for the mentors.
In fact, being a mentor has had a positive impact on Anna Persson’s own creativity.“Interacting with students is so rewarding. It can lead to new ideas, perspectives, and thoughts,” she comments. “I definitely recommend mentoring!”
Syntronic will continue to support, promote, and participate in the SIV mentorship program as a long-term commitment.
About us
Syntronic is a leading design house specializing in advanced product and systems development, production, and aftermarket services. Among our customers and partners are some of the world’s most technology intensive businesses and organizations in sectors such as telecom, automotive, industrial and medtech.
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