Next session: Starts September 2025!

All signups must be received by the end of June 30th, 2025.

The maritime meet-up program creates a meeting place to connect women in the industry with experienced leaders (female & male). The aim is to support the realization of the mentees’ development aspirations through the mentor’s active listening, sharing of insights, contextualizing and exploring experienced challenges and advice, all with the maritime industry as a backdrop.

We will kick off the next program end of September 2025 at in-person events (Oslo and Bergen) and blended events for those elsewhere. Following the comments from the previous year’s program, we will introduce more structured topics and leadership development. 

The WISTA Maritime Meet-up Program has been running since 2012, when it was started in collaboration with Youngship. 

In Norway, WISTA membership is open to both women and men in the maritime industry, the only criteria being that the members want to contribute to increased diversity in our industry. We are working to support the industry in reaching 40 percent of women in leadership in the maritime industry by 2030.

PROGRAM TIMING AND STRUCTURE

The next program will run from September 2025 to September 2026. We recommend holding Mentor/Mentee meetings in person when possible.

• We propose to keep each meeting between one and a half to two hours, but it is up to the Mentor and the Mentee to agree on what suits them best.
• Communication methods should be agreed upon by both parties.
• The mentoring conversations must be a safe space for both participants.  Mutually ensure that your Mentor/Mentee conversations remain private and confidential.
• WISTA Norway will initiate the closing session of the Maritime Meet-Up program for all participants in 2024 – the date and place will be announced.

Apply to be a Mentee

Mentee slots are for all women in the Maritime and Ocean Industries based in Norway

Expectations for mentees in the program: 

• Confirm the date, time, and location for each meeting with the Mentor.
• Come to each meeting prepared with a goal, topic, or question to discuss in order to make good use of the Mentor’s time. 
• Preparations and agendas should be communicated in advance, so the Mentor has time to consider the points for discussion.
• Actively apply strategies, plans, and actions from meetings conscientiously and bring results and updates to the next mentoring session.

Give back as a Mentor to guide the next generation of Maritime Leaders.

Mentors in the program are expected to:

• Empower the mentee: ensure the mentoring relationship is driven by the needs of the Mentee – increasing their understanding of and ability to handle challenges on their own. 
• Actively listen and explore scenarios: help Mentees explore where a course of action might lead while ensuring that Mentees retain ownership of the challenge/opportunity and decide how to manage it best.
• Feedback: Mentors listen for facts and feelings and provide feedback on the whole message. 
• Provide information: personal insight, options, and ideas at a time when the Mentee is ready for them.
• Context shift: Help mentees become more self-aware.
• Remain objective: provide clear, non-judgmental descriptions of what they observe the Mentee doing or intending to do – describe the consequences they anticipate or observe, and offer insight into the situation while refraining from telling the Mentee what to do.
• Help the Mentee explore paths relative to their career path.

This program is run by WISTA Norway and continues with cooperation from the Norwegian Shipowners Association,  YoungShip and TOOL.

If you need more information about the program or would like to sponsor or host events related to the program, please get in touch with the WISTA Norway Board.