One-on-One Networking Program Makes a Strong Impact as it Goes Agencywide
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Women Excelling in Life and Leadership (WELL) Employee Resource Group (ERG) has consistently been working in the planning, coordination, and execution of meaningful events and programs to provide the NASA workforce with professional development, mentoring/networking, and volunteering opportunities.
In 2022, WELL ERG Mentoring/Networking Lead Janette Garcia collaborated with three other women-focused ERGs across NASA to launch the One-on-One Networking Program, an agencywide opportunity lasting from June 1 to Dec. 1, 2022. The program enabled civil servants and contractors to create meaningful connections across the agency via one-on-one discussions over a variety of topics, including:
- Career development
- Work/life balance
- Work-from-home tips
- Early career
- Health and fitness
- Community involvement
- Program/project management
“In March, I started thinking we needed to find a way for all employees to easily connect with other professionals across the agency while working from home, so I found a way! I then proposed the idea of launching a networking program across the agency to allow employees across NASA connect and learn from each other. My goal was to provide an opportunity not only for civil servants, but also for contractors, to easily build relationships across the agency in a virtual environment,” Garcia said. “I collaborated with other women ERGs, including Women at NASA Headquarters, Allies and Advocates for Women, and Women at Glenn to successfully launch the six-month networking program. Overall, 138 professionals with different backgrounds and career levels at Johnson Space Center, NASA Headquarters, Langley Research Center, and Glenn Research Center participated in this pilot program. A few members of the NASA Alumni League (NAL) also participated. On behalf of WELL, I would like to thank all of the employees who participated, and hope this was a great experience for everyone. Special thanks to our collaborators, including Melanie Grande, Jessica Davis, and Deboshri Sadhukhan.”
On June 1, more than 100 professionals at NASA joined the One-on-One Networking Program to virtually meet and learn from each other’s professional and life experiences throughout the half-year program.
Below are key takeaways shared by a some of the participants based on their one-on-one networking sessions:
“We are more alike than we are different — no matter where we sit in the agency.”
“We have an amazing workforce, and even though we do such different things, we have a lot in common, especially in the challenges we face. Getting ideas from others is so helpful, whether they are people who lead or who have experiences under other leaders.”
Simply connecting with women at other centers was the most valuable outcome of these sessions — being able to share advice, encourage, and uplift others.”
“We shared how we love our dream job and gave away great recipes.”
“I received a lot of great advice in my networking sessions. I think some of the best advice for someone like me, who is early in their career, was to keep networking with individuals/mentors in your center, try to get an idea of all the opportunities and jobs that you enjoy, and make sure to understand how your branch and its leadership operates.”
“It was really great to hear about so many different but incredibly important roles across the organization. Especially as a relatively new hire, it was a great way to meet folks on-site and expand my NASA network.”
“No one’s career path is a straight line; it is generally taking opportunities that present themselves, often ‘adjacent’ to what you are doing or interested in.”
