Coca‑Cola 5by20 Mentoring Program Empowering Young Women

Can more be done to create equal opportunities for Australian women? As we celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, the answer is ‘yes.’

This is true even in Australia. According to the 2017 MyRoad Careers Survey, Even in Australia, young women from our most disadvantaged areas are 21% less likely to finish high school and 40.7% of female high-schoolers in years 10-12 don't know if they will be able to deal with the challenges of having a career, as a woman.

It’s statistics like these that prompted The Coca‑Cola Company to create the 5by20 program. The global initiative aims to enable the economic empowerment of five million women by 2020. 

In 2016 we began a partnership in Australia with The Beacon Foundation to support young Australian women through career mentoring.

Coca‑Cola Director – Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Russell Mahoney believes the program strongly advocates for gender equality.

“The Australian 5by20 program connects professionals with young women through online mentoring. This supports their school experience, lowers drop-out rates and sets young women up for successful careers,” Russell said.

5by20 mentor, working mum and nutrition and regulatory affairs manager at Coca‑Cola South Pacific, Bobbie Crothers, shared the top pieces of advice she wished she’d received in high school and why it’s important to find your own path.

    1. Find out what’s possible

“When I was finishing high school I loved science and sport but the only direction offered to me was to become a physical education teacher,” Bobbie said.

Bobbie started her university studies but wasn’t convinced she’d chosen the right thing so she went travelling and stumbled across a book on nutrition in a German library.

“In Munich I picked up one of the few English language books in the library. It was on nutrition and I was fascinated. I felt the world had opened up to me. I saw possibilities in my career I hadn’t thought of before,” Bobbie said.

The advice here is do your research – ask friends, family and co-workers about themselves and take time out to discover what’s available to you.

    2. Back yourself and be brave

“When you’re young it’s not always easy to feel confident in your ability,” Bobbie said.

“Often your ideas and instincts are correct or at least heading in the right direction. It took me a while to realise how important it was to believe in myself and now I enjoy encouraging others to ‘just go for it’,” she said. 

Self-belief is key to discovering hidden talents. This could mean speaking up which can show people your potential and lead to greater confidence.

    3. Respect your circle

“Respect those above you, beside you and below you. It’s important to respect everyone in your work circle from a graduate through to your senior leadership team,” Bobbie said.

“I was always taught that respecting my seniors meant listening and never speaking up so I spent a lot of my career lacking bravery. Respect doesn’t mean not speaking. It means knowing when to speak,” she said.

    4. Share your success

“Success is far better and much more satisfying when it’s shared,” Bobbie said.

“Ownership and control of projects are not as important as ensuring that everyone on the journey with you is part of the success,” she said.

According to Bobbie, success isn’t a race with others. Don’t let people that compare and compete change your course of action.

    5. Be nimble

There isn’t only one way to do things according to Bobbie. You must be able to learn and change.

“What may have worked for you or a project in the past may not always work in the future. Be open minded to new ways of achieving results,” Bobbie said.

Why mentoring is key

The potential positive impacts of mentoring are huge and Coca‑Cola is proud to support young Australian women in this way. 

“Equality for young women in education is one of the first steps towards ensuring women in Australia realise their full potential,” said Russell Mahoney.

Networking and mentoring is vital for an engaged workforce within Coca‑Cola. Global education programs like s Women’s Linc help contribute to more than 32 per cent of leadership positions being held by women.

To find out more about creating a meaningful future for young Australians, check out the Beacon Foundation.

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