Ms Böhnke, you run the mentoring program for the geo-IT industry in Bonn. What is the aim?
Katrin Böhnke: As in many other high-tech industries, the geo-IT sector in Bonn is looking for qualified young talent. We want to use the mentoring program to bring companies and authorities together with students. That helps both sides: The young people get very personal insights into the world of work, an introduction to networks as well as valuable feedback for further development. The mentors get another close-up look at science, practice their consulting skills and receive input from the young people, which can be very valuable. So we think the mentoring program benefits everyone involved - and also benefits the region if graduates stay on.
Why in the geo-IT sector in particular?
The scientific landscape in Bonn is very well positioned in geo-related courses, i.e. geodesy, surveying, geoinformatics and geography. The geo-business region of Bonn is home to numerous higher education institutions, research institutes and companies in the fields of geo-IT, geo-information and geomarketing. The industry is strongly positioned, from international corporations to creative SMEs and start-ups. Hardly any other region in Germany offers such geo-expertise in such a small area. We want to strengthen this basic framework from the business development department.
And how was the mentoring program received by students, companies and authorities?
We had originally planned with ten tandems, but increased this to 16 due to the high response on both sides. Students and mentors immediately recognized the value of the project.
They kicked off the tandems in January 2020. Shortly afterwards, many activities were paralyzed due to the coronavirus pandemic. How did the mentoring program fare?
I would say we got through the crisis very well. Above all, I tried to keep in touch with the mentees after the lockdown and let the tandems grow together despite everything. This led to new ideas in the face of contact restrictions. You really noticed how the students suffered during the crisis. Lectures were suddenly canceled, excursions and workshops were canceled, social contacts were reduced to a minimum - that was a bitter blow for some. For some of the mentors, the situation was completely different, as they were suddenly faced with even greater professional demands. They come from authorities such as the Federal Agency for Technical Relief and the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance - so of course all the alarm bells were suddenly ringing.
And how did you then reunite the tandems?
I was persistent and kept offering my support. And I relied on digital networking. Instead of company visits, workshops and network meetings, we held virtual events. The mentors used conference tools to present their fields of activity, explain what makes the companies tick and what you need to join them. There was also a core topic at almost every meeting, such as 'Why networking is important', 'Soft skills and personality in the job' or 'Leadership in times of pandemic'. The young people were able to submit questions in advance, which were of course answered. The meetings then lasted around two hours and really created a relaxed networking atmosphere.
Digital instead of haptic, was that a makeshift solution or are you sticking to digital networking?
No, it's the mix that counts! We are already meeting up for walks in the woods and meetings in the open air. We are even planning our first indoor workshop in October. The mentees will then spend a day working with a trainer on the topics of self-marketing/networking and job interviews: Success strategies for more confidence and appearance. We will continue to live digital networking in the future, as it has also proven to be very valuable.
Is there anything you would like to see for both sides?
A mentoring programme requires a carefully planned and organized framework. In addition to the kick-off event, this includes a summit celebration in the middle of the joint project and, of course, a fitting closing event at which the baton is passed on to the next generation. In addition, regular meetings in tandem as well as opportunities for job shadowing, job shadowing etc. are fundamental. We have therefore extended this round of the mentoring program until the end of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. I very much hope that we can experience these important events together, because experience has shown that these are important milestones for those involved.
Ms. Böhnke, we wish you every success. And thank you for talking to us.
The interview was conducted by Monika Rech-Heider