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For this year’s International Women’s Day, the Women Automotive Network community came together for a virtual meet-up focused on one of the most important drivers of long-term career growth: mentorship.
The session, How Mentorship Can Accelerate Your Career Progression, explored how giving time, insight, and support creates value not only for the person receiving guidance, but also for the person giving it.
Moderated by Stephanie May, Community Director at Women Automotive Network, the conversation brought together Oxana Grishina, Pinar Kesik Ongun, and Ian Plummer for an honest discussion on confidence, visibility, career direction, and the power of giving back.
Aligned with the International Women’s Day 2026 theme #GiveToGain, the session highlighted a message that resonated strongly across the community: mentorship is not a side activity to career progression. It is often part of what accelerates it.
Above: Screen shot of the #GivetoGain: How Mentorship Can Accelerate Your Career Progression eventLive polls during the event showed that mentorship is already part of many attendees’ professional journeys, but access and confidence remain key gaps.
More than two thirds of respondents had experienced mentorship in some form, either as a mentee, a mentor, or both. At the same time, a significant portion of the audience said they had never had a formal mentor, with many unsure how to find one.
When asked what mentorship represents at this stage of their career, the top response was building confidence and leadership presence (40%), followed by career acceleration and promotion readiness (28%).
That insight mattered because it reflected exactly what came through in the panel discussion.
Mentorship is not only about advice. It is about building the confidence, visibility, and clarity that help professionals move forward.
“Success isn't just about what you accomplish in your life. It's about what you inspire others to do.”
For Oxana Grishina, this is what mentorship means in practice: using experience and leadership to help others take ownership of their development and move with more confidence toward where they want to go.
A consistent theme throughout the conversation was that mentorship is not a one-way exchange.
Ian Plummer spoke openly about the mutual value of mentoring, describing it as both uplifting and rewarding. Supporting someone else’s growth, he explained, creates learning, perspective, and energy for the mentor too.
“It is beneficial for both parties.”
That idea sat at the heart of the #GiveToGain theme. Giving back does not slow your growth. In many cases, it sharpens it.
If one theme stood above the rest, it was confidence.
When attendees were asked about the biggest barrier to career progression for women in automotive, the top response was confidence or imposter syndrome (30%), followed closely by workplace culture or bias (25%) and unclear promotion pathways (20%).
Ian returned to this point several times, describing confidence as the factor that most often holds talented people back from taking opportunities, applying for roles, or stepping into leadership visibility.
“You need to sometimes just take the risk of putting yourself out there and going for it.”
The discussion made clear that confidence is not something professionals either have or do not have. It can be built. Mentorship creates a space where that growth becomes more possible.
Oxana shared that many mentees arrive with the same challenge: they know they want something to change, but they are not yet clear on what that change should be.
From her perspective, mentorship helps uncover that direction by asking practical and reflective questions around strengths, motivations, values, environment, and goals.
Before career plans can become concrete, self-understanding has to come first.
What many mentees are really looking for:
That was reflected in the poll results too. When attendees were asked what they are primarily searching for in a mentorship program, the leading responses were sponsorship and advocacy for advancement (38.89%) and confidence to pursue stretch opportunities (38.89%).
For Pinar Kesik Ongun, one of the most meaningful parts of becoming a mentor has been recognising how much personal growth happens through the process itself.
She spoke honestly about initially questioning whether she could do mentorship “perfectly,” then realising that what mattered most was showing up with intention, asking thoughtful questions, and creating a space for reflection.
“You do not need to have all the answers. We just need to show up with intention, listen well, and be open to learning.”
That mindset shifts mentorship away from perfection and toward contribution. It also reinforces a broader leadership truth: helping someone else grow often sharpens your own self-awareness, communication, and collaborative leadership style.
Another important part of the conversation focused on what women in automotive still need more of: visible role models, stronger advocacy, and clearer access to opportunity.
Oxana reflected on how few female directors she had worked with in her own career and why that visibility matters. Ian added that organisations must go beyond talking about change and actively create environments where diverse talent can see a path forward.
This is where mentorship becomes especially powerful. It helps make careers feel more visible, more navigable, and more achievable.
Mentorship was not positioned as a nice-to-have.
It came through as a practical way to build confidence, expand perspective, strengthen visibility, and create more connected, inclusive workplaces across automotive and mobility.
As the discussion drew to a close, the panel offered direct advice for anyone considering getting involved in mentorship.
For mentees, the message was to take ownership of career development rather than waiting for perfect conditions. For mentors, it was to start before feeling fully ready.
“If you do something, obviously there is a 50% probability of fail, but if you don't do something, it's 100% fail.”
That honesty captured the tone of the session well. The conversation did not present mentorship as a polished, linear process. It presented it as a meaningful one, rooted in action, openness, and shared growth.
If this conversation resonated with you, here are four ways to turn insight into action:
This International Women’s Day meet-up was a reminder that careers do not grow in isolation. They grow through reflection, encouragement, advocacy, and shared experience. Rewatch the full interview in full on our Youtube Channel.
If you found value in this discussion, keep building momentum with the WAN community through our virtual events.
Our next event takes place on Thursday 16 April, where you will explore how networking can move beyond surface level exchanges to become a source of genuine community, mutual support and long term value.
With a 50,000+ global community across 139 countries worldwide, and flagship summits in Europe, the US, Mexico and Japan, the Women Automotive Network (WAN) is a trusted global platform for organisations across the automotive and mobility ecosystem.
We partner with leading OEMs, Tier 1–2 suppliers, and technology companies to support leadership development, employer brand visibility, and meaningful engagement with senior industry talent.
For all enquiries, get in touch here.
In this edition, we feature Leslie Gatza, PPG’s Marketing Intelligence and Digital Leader, Automotive Coatings.
For this year’s International Women’s Day, the Women Automotive Network community came together for a virtual meet-up focused on one of the most important drivers of long-term career growth: mentorship.
We're inviting our community to put forward the individuals and organisations shaping the future of automotive from the inside out.
