FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Professional and leadership development are focus of program aiming to match 20 entry through senior level women in the technology fields. Information Session with Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership is September 20, 2012.

Providence R.I. – September 17th, 2012 – The Women in Technology group of Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s Bioscience and Information Technology industry association, announces the launch of its Mentor Pilot Program. The peer-to-peer program will focus on fostering the mutually beneficial professional and leadership development of women in Rhode Island’s Information Technology and Bioscience industries.

A no-obligation Information Session about the program will be held on September 20th, 2012 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm at AIPSO. Interested participants will then attend a Training Session on October 4th, 2012. Jo-Ann Schofield, President and COO of Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership will bring her expertise and guidance to both sessions as well as throughout the program.

- Advertisement -

Female professionals working within the Rhode Island technology industry – entry through executive levels – are encouraged to participate in the program as a mentor or mentee. The Mentor program will begin in October and run through June 2013. Time commitments are reasonable to accommodate full workloads. Both mentees and mentors will receive required formal training prior to entering into the mentoring partnership. Participants will also be made available to program-wide support as well as provided the opportunity to benchmark progress, share insights, and recommend improvements or adjustments to the program design through informal feedback and designated surveys.

“The Mentor Program has been an initiative all of us on the Women in Technology group have cherished and worked to cultivate for the past several months,” said Melissa Punchak, Manager of Organizational Programs for Tech Collective. “We are excited to now be able to extend it to our local industry peers as an opportunity not only for individual growth, but growth as a community and in support of our industry and state.”

Identified as a need within the industry, the Mentor Program has been design and developed by Tech Collective’s Women in Technology (WIT) group. It is in line with WIT’s mission of providing a platform of personal and professional growth through knowledge sharing, network building, mentorship, and engagement for women working or interested in the STEM fields.

For more information, register at www.tech-collective.org to attend the Mentor Program Information Session on September 20th, 2012; or contact Melissa Punchak at 401-521-7805 x109 / mpunchak@tech-collective.org.

About Tech Collective:
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Bioscience and Information Technology Industry Association. Uniting industry, government and academic stakeholders, our mission is to inspire, engage, educate and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $6.3M in federal, state and private grant funding to foster industry and workforce awareness, collaboration, and development through forums and initiatives including: Tech10, GRRL Tech, Women in Technology, Bio-Ed, and STEM-based education and training programs for K-16 students as well as incumbent and transitioning workers. Get connected to Tech Collective at www.tech-collective.org, on Facebook (TechCollectiveRI), Twitter (@Tech_Collective), and on Linkedin (Tech Collective).

Contact: Giselle Mahoney
Manager of Communications & Media Relations | Tech Collective
401-829-8321 | gmahoney@tech-collective.org