Woment Makes Women Even Fitter for Leadership
Student Jessica Brügmann and executive Dr. David Kappel are a WoMent tandem, and a well-oiled machine. How do they benefit from their engagement in the cross-mentoring program?
More and more committed young women are intent on proving their potential here and now. Mentoring programs support them to succeed in an often still male-dominated professional world. One example is WoMent (see info box): In this cross mentoring program Jessica Brügmann, bachelor student of Management & Technology at TUM Campus Heilbronn, and Dr. David Kappel, Vice President Global Engineering at duagon AG, form a partnership.
"It’s beneficial to have mixed teams."
“We can’t afford to do without well-trained women in leadership positions,” says David Kappel. “However, some stereotypes persist that give men an upper hand in the professional world. It starts with our education as children and continues when we elect a study program or a job. Technical study programs in particular are male dominated.”
Dr. David Kappel, Vice President Global Engineering at duagon AG
Backing from Experienced Mentor
Jessica Brügmann is David Kappel’s third mentee. The young woman with the confident appearance is convinced by the benefits of the concept: “WoMent appealed to me off the bat and I am happy I was chosen for the program after submitting my resumé.” Since then David Kappel has been the experienced mentor at her side. “We get together – usually in video calls – once a month and discuss everything that needs managing in my life – from the best way to structure my CV for an application to tips on handling myself in specific situations,” she says. Even outside these meetings, Jessica Brügmann’s mentor’s door is always open.
Woment Allows Dialog with Experienced Professionals
The program offers Jessica Brügmann many advantages in addition to the mentorship. In monthly workshops she gets answers to questions there is no opportunity to ask in everyday university life.
Jessica Brügmann, bachelor student of Management & Technology at TUM Campus Heilbronn
All these experiences have helped Jessica Brügmann grow. She summarizes: “There are many factors that play into personal maturity but typically are not touched on in university lectures. You have to enter into dialog with experienced people.”
The interaction with his mentees has helped David Kappel develop new approaches as well. “I am experiencing hands-on how the generation of young women ticks, what moves them, and what they expect from future employers and their company’s cultures. I take this information into consideration when making decisions.”
WoMent
Initiated by Katharina Rust, financed by the Wissensstadt Heilbronn e.V. Association, and sponsored by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, WoMent is a cross-institution, cross-mentoring program for female students at all the universities in Heilbronn. At TUM Campus Heilbronn, Prof. Michael Stich helps supervise the program which supports young women attempting to gain a foothold in the professional world quickly. Each participant is paired with a mentor who has a leadership position at a regional company. Over the course of the one-year tandem partnership, mentees gain insight into their mentor’s work life. This is complemented by an attractive workshop program.