Speed Mentorship

Connect with experienced mentors in your sector, shadow them through sessions, and gain real-time insight into the environmental profession. Build relationships that move your career forward. Reconnect the next day for reflection, deeper conversations, and extended networking opportunities.

What to Expect

Kick off your ECO IMPACT experience with our Speed Mentorship session, held mid-morning on Day 1. Participants will be matched with mentors based on sector or discipline. From there, mentees will have the opportunity to “shadow” their mentors throughout the day—joining sessions, attending panels, and gaining real-time insight into how leaders navigate the environmental sector. On Day 2, mentors and mentees reconnect mid-morning to reflect on their experiences. Those looking to dive deeper can opt for extended mentorship, including a more focused shadowing opportunity and a dedicated networking lunch.

This is your chance to build meaningful professional relationships and get inspired by the next steps in your environmental career.

Program Notes

Day 1 – Mid-Morning: Speed Mentorship Launch

Begin the mentorship journey with a dynamic, sector-specific speed networking session.
Participants are grouped by discipline and introduced to their mentor matches.
Mentees are encouraged to shadow their mentors throughout the day, including during conference sessions and networking breaks.

Day 2 – Mid-Morning: Mentorship Recap & Extended Connections

Reconnect with your mentor group to reflect on Day 1 experiences, insights, and key takeaways.
Mentees interested in continuing their engagement can join mentors for additional shadowing opportunities.
A dedicated networking lunch provides space for extended conversation and relationship-building in a relaxed setting.

Speed Mentorship Schedule

7:30 AM to 8:30 AM MT
Morning: Breakfast and Mentor-Mentee Pairing

Breakfast and Mentor-Mentee Pairing

Mentees are grouped by discipline (e.g. Oceans, Agri-food, Agriculture, Engineering, Sustainability).
Each group meets with their assigned mentor over breakfast.
Mentors introduce themselves, discuss their career journey, and share insights about navigating the industry.
Mentors provide the day’s task list to mentees:
- Networking Challenge: Mentees must identify and engage with at least 3 professionals from different disciplines during the day.
- Session Summary: Attend a session relevant to their field and discuss it with their group at lunch.

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM MT
Midday: Lunch and Reflection

Lunch and Reflection

Groups reconvene with their mentor to discuss progress.

Mentees share takeaways from their morning programming, focusing on their session summaries and networking experiences.

Mentors provide feedback and refine mentees’ approaches for the rest of the day.

4:30 PM to 5:30 PM MT
Afternoon Free Time: Wrap-Up and Check-In

Wrap-Up and Check-In

Groups meet again in a relaxed setting during the free time before the gala.

Mentees share their insights from the problem-solving activity and reflect on what they learned.

Mentors select standout mentees based on engagement, effort, and insights to continue shadowing on Day 2.

7:00 PM to 10:00 PM MT
Evening: Gala Event

Gala Event

Mentees and mentors attend the gala, providing further opportunities for informal networking.

8:30 AM to 12:30 PM MT
Morning: Mentor Shadowing

Mentor Shadowing

Selected mentees shadow their mentors, gaining behind-the-scenes insight into their activities, whether attending meetings, speaking engagements, or networking sessions.

Mentees observe how mentors navigate professional environments and represent their fields.

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM MT
Midday: Networking Lunch

Networking Lunch

Mentors and their shadowing mentees join a networking lunch, allowing mentees to build connections with other mentors and professionals.

Mentees can practice introducing themselves and discussing their career aspirations.

2:00 PM to 3:30 PM MT
Afternoon: Shadowing Continued

Shadowing Continued

Mentees continue shadowing their mentors, observing them in different contexts, such as panel discussions or strategic meetings.

3:45 PM to 4:30 PM MT
Wrap-Up and Feedback Session

Wrap-Up and Feedback Session

Mentors and mentees reconvene for a final wrap-up session.

Mentors provide personalized feedback and advice based on the mentee’s performance and engagement over the two days.

Opportunities for continued mentorship or career guidance are discussed.

Explore IMPACT 2025 Gallery

Relive the most impactful moments, dynamic energy, and lasting impressions from our two inspiring days together, and discover what attendees had to say about their experience.

I extend my genuine gratitude to ECO Canada for holding this remarkable conference, a profoundly meaningful experience for me as a new member to this esteemed community, having joined merely last month. My time in Calgary was marked by a sense of complete fulfillment, and I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity provided by this event.

We had a fantastic opportunity to participate in Eco Canada's annual conference #EcoImpact2024. It was a great chance to meet a wide network of environmental professionals and reconnect with old colleagues we had lost touch with. We were especially pleased to see the emphasis on gender and cultural diversity, as well as innovation to combat climate change and drive energetic transitions.

What an experience learning and networking with environmental professionals across Canada. It’s encouraging to see such innovation, collaboration and passion to further progress the environmental sector and continue be leaders in the industry. Thank you to ECO Canada for organizing and hosting this successful event.

It was a privilege to join environmental professionals from across Canada. The event provided invaluable opportunities to network, learn from guest speakers, panellists, and gain insights into various career paths within the sector. I'm grateful for the connections made, the knowledge acquired, and the inspiration received to contribute actively to environmental protection and awareness.

Beyond the enlightening presentations, the networking opportunities were exceptional. Connecting with fellow professionals, exchanging ideas, and learning from their experiences were invaluable. It is truly gratifying to be part of the ECO Canada community, dedicated to pushing boundaries and driving positive change in the environmental workforce.

A special shout out to ECO Canada for executing an exceptionally organized, varied, and enlightening event. I must also commend the expertise and inspiration brought by all the keynote speakers.

Speed Mentorship

Speed Mentorship

What to Expect

Program Notes