2016 Outstanding Mentor Award Recipient

Effective mentors selflessly share their knowledge to help others succeed. But, truly exemplary mentors leave a lasting, positive influence on the lives of their mentees. Mr. Arden Spachynski, P.Eng., does this time and again with those he mentors.

As Principal Engineer, Substation Engineering at ATCO Electric, Mr. Spachynski brings with him decades of experience in electrical engineering.

Indeed, when it comes to mentoring, he draws on this experience to guide his mentees. Mr. Spachynski is always willing to spend time on mentoring, and he has an innate ability to explain complex problems in a way that his mentees understand, can relate to, and can apply to their own specific interests.

Mr. Spachynski received his Certificate in Adult Continuing Education from the University of Alberta in 1999. This training provides educational models for adult learning and has allowed him to better engage his mentees with clarity, provide consistently supportive feedback, and support them in finding solutions to their problems.

To his mentees, he is a trusted source of leadership and knowledge. He treats their learning as being equal to the time commitment he would give to any supervisor or staff member. Furthermore, his confidence in the capabilities of his mentees gives them the self-confidence they need to flourish in their fields.

“Arden has always been willing to share his knowledge with me whenever I need support,” says one of his mentees. “And yet, not once did he do so because it was expected of him. He just genuinely wants to help others.”