Session: If it matters to you it matters to us: how mentors can inspire the next generation
Too often mentorship & allyship are viewed as just internal initiatives – something disconnected from the existential issues facing the tech sector. One such problem is talent and opening the door to the next generation. Jill Gates, VP Culture and People Experience, Europe and India, at end-to-end managed service provider Ensono, argues that mentorship and allyship is integral to breaking down barriers in technology and inspiring the next generation.
Drawing on her two decades of experience working in HR, Jill will present her vision for putting mentorship and allyship at the centre of a people strategy. Attendees will hear practical examples from Ensono’s involvement in STEAM career introduction initiatives like the UK’s largest STEAM event Your Future, Your Ambition, the Sixth Form mentorship programme Future Frontiers, and insight from Ensono’s apprentices on the experiences that have provided a successful launch pad for their career.
Jill will also ask senior attendees to recognise that the benefits of mentorship transcend those being mentored, sharing the benefits and learnings that Ensono has experienced. Being a mentor or an ally is an incredibly rewarding experience, opening up experienced members of the team to new perspectives. It is far from a one-way learning experience and both mentor and mentee gain a lot from the process. And for senior members of staff, the advice and counsel you impart will be repaid with more engaged, motivated, and inspired team members, providing new perspectives and ideas to engage with, from individuals ready to follow in your footsteps.
Bio
Jill has over 20 years’ experience working with high growth companies on their HR and wider people strategies. She has been at end-to-end managed services provider Ensono since January 2017, where she is currently Vice President, Culture and People Experience, Europe and India. Previous roles in her career include 10 years at IT firm CenturyLink, where she served as VP HR International. An accomplished HR leader, Jill works to align individual and team development with business strategy, and she is committed to improving diversity and inclusion globally.