Diverse and Large Mentoring Class Kicks Off for USCC Young Professionals

The US Composting Council continues to grow the organics recycling industry with a record-breaking mentoring group for 2018-19: 10 pairs across the U.S., including women mentors and an international mentee-mentor pair.

The program connects mentors with professional business experience in the compost manufacturing and collection industry to participate with a mentee, a Young Professional college graduate or industry employee over the age of 21 and under 40.

The annual mentoring period runs from July 1, 2018 through January 31, 2019. Mentor/Mentee pairs choose their own meeting schedule and format (phone, Skype, in person, email etc.) and are encouraged to make an in-person “capstone” meeting at COMPOST2019 in Phoenix, AZ.

The USCC YP/Staff informally monitors the pairs throughout the period to improve their odds for success.

Ginny Black, a retired State of Minnesota compost regulator and chair of the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation, is one of the first women mentors in recent classes. “When I started in 1995 I was the only woman at the table for years,” she said. “Its not that way anymore, and I wanted to be part of mentoring to ensure the vitality and growth of the industry.”