The Preparing for Promotion for Academic Women workshop is part of the University of Wollongong Affirmative Action Plan. It is aimed at women working towards a promotion application in the next 12 months to 2 years. The workshop was developed by Robyn Weekes in 1998 in response to a downward trend in applications for promotion by academic women. This one day workshop has been offered annually since 1998 with outstanding results.
In 1997, 29% of successful promotion candidates were women. In 2002, 48% of successful promotion candidates were women. Total number of staff promoted in 1997 and 2002 was 45 and 42 respectively.
Tracking of participants in the period 1998-2000 has provided the following outcomes:
- 100% of applicants have demonstrated positive career outcomes (eg lodging application for promotion)
- 87% of those who applied for promotion have been successful.
The workshop objectives are for participants:
- to develop a more focused approach to career planning
- understand how the promotion system works at UOW
- complete the workshop with an individual action plan
- to establish a campus wide support network of women working through the same issues.
The workshop includes a discussion session utilising a broad based panel experienced in academic promotion matters.
The workshop has a consistent satisfaction index of 6+ on a scale of 1-7. The rating was 6.21 in 2002 with the following participants comments:
- Well organised. Each speech is concise and right to the point. Very helpful for understanding the operation of the whole system and adjust action accordingly.
- Thank you for encouraging me to attend. I was not thinking of possible future promotion for myself but now I am seriously considering preparing to apply.
- Well thought through course. Definitely not a waste of time, all genuinely helpful and informative. My procrastination is good strategy!
- Thank you very worthwhile, great for networking too.
- Best part of the course was participation by actual committee members and staff who have been through the process. The hands-on, practical tips we were provided with are invaluable!
- Thank you!
- The encouraging atmosphere of the workshop has enabled me to feel positive about preparing my application. The transparency in the promotion process was useful to know. This is completely unlike my previous place of employment.
- Really appreciated the information from such a wide variety of people. A very supportive and worthwhile workshop and a great way to start the process.
- Great to have a supportive environment to hear honest points of view about the process.
Helpful to hear from both sides of application process. Two speakers at start were great. Very supportive and encouraging environment.
- This course is empowering because of the information that is provided and the manner in which each person can apply it to themselves.
- This workshop is very useful.
- Thank you for organising such a wide range of people to speak to us so openly about the topics. A lot of myths have been dispelled.
The success of this program has been instrumental in designing a broader developmental program for academic women at different stages of their academic career. The new program Switched On will offer four workshops including the existing Preparing for Promotion Program in 2003, as well as a focused mentoring program for women at Associate Professor level and the formalisation of existing and development of additional women's networks.
