Introducing Women’s Mentoring 2024-2025: Empowering and Attracting Women to Hydropower

Within the COST Action on Sustainable Hydropower in Europe PEN@hydropower, a dedicated mentoring program for women is now underway.

Launching on April 22nd, 2024, our inaugural cohort of six women will embark on a journey of growth and development. Mentees and mentors will delve into essential mentoring principles, goal-setting, and fruitful exchanges.

Mentoring has long been proven as a catalyst for personal and professional advancement, fostering confidential and effective progress under the guidance of experienced professionals.

Our overarching goal is to achieve gender parity within Working Group structures by the end of 2026. While leadership levels already demonstrate equality, there remains a disparity within Working Groups, where female representation hovers around 20-30%.

This gender gap is not unique to hydropower but mirrors broader trends in energy-related sectors. According to a study by ESMAP/World Bank in October 2023, women represent only 25% of the workforce in this sector, with even lower representation in leadership roles and engineering positions.

To address this imbalance, the industry must prioritize recruiting talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on women and their expectations in the workplace. The industry's failure to make women feel welcome is a significant barrier to attracting talent, necessitating a concerted effort to showcase the appeal of working in hydropower.

COST Action CA 21104 recognizes the importance of fostering, encouraging, and amplifying women's voices. Our commitment to gender equality extends beyond our own framework to inspire broader action within COST and beyond.