The National NRM Mentoring Program
Pioneering mentorship and building leadership capability.
Creating the first dedicated mentoring program in NRM
Mentoring is a powerful tool for professional growth and leadership development. Recognising the need for stronger career development pathways and knowledge sharing, NRM Regions Queensland, through its Leadership Working Group, took a bold step in creating the industry’s first dedicated mentoring program that aimed to lift leadership capability, at all locations, at all levels and at all times.
The Queensland NRM Sector Mentoring Program was launched in 2024, and in its first two years attracted participation from more than 20% of the sector’s state-wide workforce.
Following this success, and in partnership with NRM Regions Australia, a National NRM Mentoring Program trial is underway in 2026, with 70 mentor–mentee pairings from 34 of the country’s 54 regional NRM organisations.
Structured support and breaking barriers
Before this program, no formal mentoring initiative existed in the NRM sector, leaving many professionals without structured guidance for career growth and leadership development.
Additionally, while industry collaboration was essential, professionals often worked in silos, limiting opportunities for cross-organisational learning. With multiple organisations involved, securing CEO and executive leadership support was also critical for success.
Clear objectives to support careers and the NRM sector
Effective mentor-mentee matching
Using a science-based approach to create meaningful connections.
Leadership and coaching development
Providing mentors with the skills to guide and inspire others.
Increased networking and collaboration
Encouraging professionals to share knowledge across organisations.
Career progression support
Helping mentees gain confidence, skills, and opportunities for growth.
Designing the mentoring program
To bring this vision to life, we partnered with Brancher, a specialist in mentoring program design. Brancher worked with the Leadership Working Group to develop a tailored nine-month mentoring initiative, carefully mapped to our Leadership Capabilities and industry needs.
The program is designed to provide structured support and guidance to both mentors and mentees. Participants are matched using a science-based approach to ensure alignment of goals and expertise.
The program includes launch webinars to set expectations, mid-point and end-point workshops to track progress and support participants and bite-sized training sessions to develop key skills. Regular check-ins, admin support and ongoing program management ensure participants remain engaged throughout the process.
In 2024 and 2025, the Queensland NRM Sector Mentoring Program had a total of 45 mentor–mentee pairings complete the program with very positive results.
The results: Queensland NRM Sector Mentoring Program
High satisfaction and engagement
– 100% mentor-mentee matching satisfaction
– 100% of participants satisfied with training, support and resources
– 90% met regularly, ensuring consistent progress
Professional and leadership growth
– 100% of mentors improved their coaching and leadership skills
– 86% of mentees increased performance in their role as a result of their mentorship
Long-term impact
– Mentors reported renewed sector connection and satisfaction from supporting emerging leaders
– Mentees described significant growth in confidence, leadership readiness and network expansion
Testimonials: The power of mentorship
The future of mentoring in NRM
The National NRM Mentoring Program trial in 2026 is an opportunity to share expertise and experiences across the national natural resource management sector, lifting our capacity as a whole.
The 2026 program runs from February to November with 70 matched mentor-mentee pairings and two-thirds of the country’s regional NRM organisations taking part.
The success of the Queensland NRM Sector Mentoring Program demonstrated the power of structured, cross-regional mentoring, delivering measurable leadership and collaboration outcomes across the state. This provided the foundations for the national trial, showing that when mentoring is embedded, it strengthens leadership at all levels, at all times, and improves sector-wide alignment and integration.
The mentoring program is a key part of our NRM Leadership Framework.
Regional NRM organisations in Queensland
