The Challenge

Building a science leadership pipeline across regional NSW

In 2016, management at the NSW Department of Primary Industries identified a critical need, to develop and sustain a strong pipeline of research scientists to underpin the growth, sustainability and biosecurity of primary industries in NSW.

In the last two decades, science-related fields have had difficulty attracting students, despite a steadily growing university cohort. For the Department, this translated into fewer research scientists overall and even fewer senior scientists available to guide and support new scientists into senior roles.

A further challenge was geography. Scientists within NSW are located across multiple, dispersed regional areas, making natural informal mentoring between experienced and less experienced scientists very difficult to achieve.

The Solution

A structured, technology-enabled program for scientists

Art of Mentoring was recommended to DPI by Jane Latimer, who had previously run a successful mentoring program with Art of Mentoring’s Director, Melissa Richardson, at the Department of Planning.

Beginning in August 2016, DPI embarked on an annual program of 7–8 month structured mentoring programs. Each year the program was open to 20 mentoring pairs, with 88 participants completing the program over three years.

The mentoring pairs set their own agenda, goals and frequency of meetings, with the mentee driving the relationship. Resources including videos, guides and email content were provided to support best practice mentoring skills, while the structure remained flexible to meet different participant engagement styles.

Strong championship from senior leadership

Managed by Art of Mentoring

The program quickly achieved strong championship within the senior levels of the Department, with Chief Scientific Officer Dr Philip Wright as the key program sponsor, regularly attending program events.

Art of Mentoring’s platform supported the program with marketing resources, one-step sign-up forms, a matching algorithm to guide pairing decisions, and reduced the administrative burden of managing a program of this size.

Career Breakthroughs

10 mentees received promotions and 4 had significant career changes since participating in the program. Three mentees have gone on to become mentors themselves, with the program beginning to cascade to lower levels of the organisation.

Matt and Stephen

Senior Principal Research Scientist · Ecologist and Professional Officer

Matt Broadhurst (DPI Fisheries, Coffs Harbour) and Stephen Johnson (DPI Biosecurity, Orange) first connected over the phone before meeting face-to-face to discuss career planning, navigating departmental obstacles, and the importance of publishing empirical science.

Stephen gained as Mentee

• A fresh perspective on a scientific career within the Department
• The ability to focus on one step at a time and see the journey, not just the destination

Matt learned as Mentor

• Every participant brings a unique perspective that deserves equal consideration
• Mentors don’t have all the answers, subtle suggestions can prompt solutions within the mentee

Ashley and Pip

Principal Research Scientist · Research Officer

When Dr Pip Brock’s leadership role was restructured, she welcomed the opportunity to discuss her next steps with mentor Dr Ashley Webb. Together they identified options openly and practically, without any negative impact on Pip’s opportunities within the Department.

A highlight of their relationship was Ashley arranging for Pip to act in her leadership role during a period of leave, an experience that opened up further career opportunities for Pip.

Program Benefits

Benefits for the organisation and participants

Leadership Pipeline
The Department now has a bench of mentors who have strengthened their capacity for leading others, and a pool of mentees already stepping up as mentors themselves.

Retention
Retention and engagement emerged as equally critical as leadership development to the future of Australian science, with 80% of participants reporting a positive impact on their likelihood to stay.

Geographic Reach
A formal mentoring program connecting scientists across geographies proved highly successful, overcoming the barrier of dispersed regional locations across NSW.

Career Growth

10 mentees received promotions and 4 had significant career changes since participating in the program, tangible proof of the program’s lasting impact.