Office of the Premier
Following on the success of the We for She conference in Vancouver last year, Premier Christy Clark announced today, on International Women’s Day, that the We for She conference will bring business leaders and young women from all across B.C. together again for an event in the fall of 2017.
The 2016 WE FOR SHE: Championing the Next Generation conference was one of North America’s largest gatherings of women’s organizations, companies, experts, business leaders, advocates and young women. Last year’s event brought together more than 1,500 people to advance gender equality, give students and young women a greater understanding of their career options and potential, expand their confidence in what they can achieve, and give them a chance to meet dynamic and successful role models.
Premier Clark also announced $132,000 towards the creation of a mentorship pilot program. Members of the Premier’s Women’s Economic Council (PWEC) and Minerva in partnership with the Women’s Enterprise Centre, Junior Achievement and the WEB alliance, will deliver this program throughout the province. The pilot program will aim to encourage the leadership aspirations of young women, help young women gain confidence to speak their mind and express their thoughts and opinions, create a safe inclusive environment, fostering positive relationships and healthy discussions and increase the community connections and network opportunities for young women through regular engagement with community and business leaders.
Premier Clark also announced the creation of a committee of the next generation of women leaders, providing advice to the premier through PWEC, who will have the opportunity to give feedback on ways to support young women become the leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. PWEC will work with the Board Resourcing and Development Office and organizations throughout the province to submit names for appointment.
(flickr.com) Quotes:
Premier Christy Clark –
“On this International Women’s Day it’s important to celebrate and recognize successful women. Young women and girls need to see others succeeding in fields that traditionally have been dominated by men. The We for She conference and the new mentorship pilot program will help more women acquire the skills and knowledge they need to maximize their potential.”
Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour –
“Supporting women as they pursue their career aspirations is vital to ensuring they can be active participants in our economy and province. Mentoring is also an important part of helping young women gain confidence, giving them access to dynamic and successful role models.”
Lois Nahirney, chair of PWEC –
“The We for She conference is a powerful event bringing business leaders and students together to advance women in our economy and to inspire the next generation. The mentorship pilot program will help us expand the reach of We for She around the province, so that all girls and young women, no matter what part of the province they live in, will be inspired to be bold in their careers.”
(flickr.com) Quick Facts:
- B.C. has more than one million women working, nearly half of the current provincial labour force.
- Women comprise 38.3% of all self-employed people in B.C. in 2016 ranking B.C fifth among all provinces and above the national average.
- Women in business bring fresh perspectives, new ideas and broader experiences and are inspirations to our younger generation.
- The Premier’s Women’s Economic Council (PWEC) was established in February 2014 to provide input, advice and recommendations to government to continue to improve the business environment for women.
- PWEC consists of 13 members from various regions and industries, including business leaders representing the key sectors identified in the B.C. Jobs Plan.
Learn More:
To find out more about We For She BC, visit: www.weforshebc.ca
To find out about career, education and training resources, visit Workbc.ca: www.workbc.ca
To learn more about career planning and B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, visit: www.workbc.ca/blueprintbuilder
To find out more about the BC Jobs Plan, visit: engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan
