The Importance of Mentorship

BACKGROUND

Mentoring relationships provide valuable experiences for both the mentor and mentee. The mentee receives professional insight that will enable them to better understand their selected industry. Mentoring others often provides the opportunity to enrich oneself through the teaching/learning process and it serves as a way to “give back”. It is important that the development and learning experience is advantageous for all parties. Mentoring comes with a host of benefits from personal development, mental health, and professional enrichment. From an employer’s perspective, mentorship programmes have shown improved employee retention. This is due to staff feeling recognised by this important transfer of skills, leading to a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction from their work. This ultimately uplifts the business as a whole. Additionally, research suggests that mentoring programmes help create better gender and cultural diversity, helping organizations become more inclusive and diversified by a creating sustainable work balance.

SPEAKER

Sara Turnbull
Consultant: Geology
Sound Mining Solution (Pty) Ltd

Sara has over 10 years’ experience in exploration, mining, and economic geology, with widespread exposure in different geological terrains and commodities worldwide. She commenced her career as an expat exploration geologist working for an Australian listed Junior (Mustang Resources ASX:MUS), exploring mainly for graphite, rubies and alluvial diamonds for 6 years. For the next 4 years she became an independent consultant for a number of clients but Renergen (JSE:REN, ASX:RLT) was her main focus. Her consulting work was performed for both privately and publicly funded companies, from exploration to mining operations of various sizes across Africa. She now holds the position of a Project Geologist and Alternate Director at Sound Mining International. Sara has both on-site and corporate advisory skills. She has been part of a multi-disciplinary team that has progressed numerous projects from greenfields to feasibility phase and then into production. Sara is a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat.) and is an active member of the GSSA. She is currently enrolled as a part time Ph.D. student at the University of Witwatersrand, and she holds a Master’s Degree in Geology from the University JohannesburgPh.D. student at the University of Witwatersrand and she holds a Master’s Degree in Geology from the University Johannesburg.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Camielah Jardine
Head of Conferencing
E-mail: camielah@saimm.co.za
Tel: +27 111 538-0238