VEPodcast

Think you’re just a boss? Nah, you could be a mentor—and it might just change your team, your career, and even your bottom line. Let’s unpack why, with some important stats, real stories, and takeaways you can use tomorrow. Let’s take a look.

First off, mentoring isn’t just warm fuzzies—it’s can be a game-changer for all those involved. Research says mentees get promoted five times more often than those without mentors, and retention jumps by 22%. That’s from McCarthy Mentoring’s 2017 study, and it’s not just relevant, but growing in importance in in 2025. Imagine keeping your best people longer and seeing them climb the ladder—all because you took time to guide them. That’s power! Here in Australia, COX Architecture saw this firsthand. After growing fast, their Sydney team—500 strong—used mentoring to tighten bonds and set sharper goals. Staff started to redefine and focus on their career paths, and the resulting morale? Unbeatable. Check it out on Parlour’s site if you’re curious. I’ll include the links on the blog I’ve connected to this podcast.

Now, let’s talk diversity. Mentoring lifts everyone. Cornell University found it boosts minority leadership roles by up to 24%. In Aussie terms, look at the Australian Business and Community Network—ABCN. They went digital with Accenture in 2020, mentoring disadvantaged kids, including Indigenous communities. Result? 42% felt more confident about their future. That’s not just feel-good—it’s building a pipeline of diverse talent. As a manager, you could do that too!

Okay, here’s a stat to chew on: 71% of Fortune 500 companies run mentoring programs. It’s not a trend—it’s a standard. Down under, AusIMM’s 2024 program hooked up over 100 mining pros. Mentors reported a 20% jump in job satisfaction—proof you don’t just help others, you grow too. And get this: Cox Automotive saved over $3 million in turnover costs since 2017 with mentoring. That’s cash you could keep in your budget!

So, real-world wins? Plenty. Avison Young pushed women into leadership with mentoring—diversity ticked up fast. Vertex Pharmaceuticals went global, mixing reverse mentoring with peer circles—genius for multigenerational teams. And Paychex? Their high-potential women hit 94% retention. These aren’t flukes; they’re proof mentoring works. Locally, ABCN’s online shift delivered 179 sessions in a year—regional kids got a leg up. That’s mentoring breaking barriers, right here in Oz.

Takeaways time! One: mentoring keeps talent and cuts costs—think millions, not pennies. Two: it’s your diversity secret weapon—lift up underrepresented voices. Three: you’ll grow as a leader—satisfaction and skills, sorted. How do you start? Assess your team’s needs, pair people smartly, and track the wins—engagement, retention, you name it.

Interviews and news from the VET industry

Interviews and news from the VET industry

Interviews and news from the VET industry. I take a deep dive into 'accredited courses' and the legitimacy of those courses.

Ready to end your training session with a bang? In the world of learning and development, a memorable close can make all the difference. This blog dives into fun, practical ways to wrap up vocational training sessions—think Recap Raps, action plan pow-wows, and gamified goodbyes. Tailored for Aussie L&D pros, it’s packed with tips to leave participants energised and equipped. Discover how to turn your finale into a skill-sticking, morale-boosting masterpiece!

VEPodast - Future uses of AI in L&D by SpecTraining

Marc and I chat about some of the new apps and applications of AI in developing learning content.

Ready to be BLOWN AWAY! - I just dragged our Diploma of vocational education and training course brochure into Google's new 'NotebookLM' - and it created this conversational podcast... seriously amazing! I want to hear the next episode!!

Imagine what you can do with this tool for students everywhere? You could use your lesson plan to create a 10 minute podcast as an overview of your topics... you could use the notes functions to allow students to summarise key points from your sessions, and much more! A great tool for education as it blends the neuroscience concepts of repetition and story-telling into one output that's easily digestible.

It's obviously time to discuss something that’s at the cutting edge of learning and development. Your friend and mine, generative AI. Now, I know we’ve all heard the buzz around AI, but I want to dig into how this tech is reshaping education and learning, backed by the latest research and information shared at the numerous seminars and webinars published in the last few months.

Here are a few simple ways to improve the way you DO empathy, rather than just being empathetic. And, why it's so important for trainers and educators.