Vancouver, BC, May 7, 2007--(T-Net)--Wired Woman announced that its Mentorship Program has received funding support from the Province of British Columbia’s Ministry of Small Business and Revenue and the Ministry of Community Services.
Wired Woman launched their pilot Mentorship Program in January 2007 in partnership with the YWCA of Vancouver’s Connect to Success Mentorship program. The Wired Woman Mentorship Program, which currently has eighteen participants, is designed for women entering or re-entering the work-force and targets women requiring career guidance. The career mentorship experience is enhanced with networking events and education workshops.
“We are delighted by the support from the Provincial Government and appreciate the opportunity to work with the Province and the Connect to Success Mentorship Program,†says Marnie Larson, Vancouver Chapter President. “The new funds will allow us to further serve our members by providing much needed tools and resources for women in technology related fieldsâ€.
According to the Small Business Profile 2005: a Profile of Small Business in British Columbia, approximately 95% of employers in high tech were small businesses in 2004. “The high tech sector has emerged to become a significant industry and is thought to be one of the most likely sources of growth for the future economy of British Columbia.â€
Furthermore, the Ministry of British Columbia forecasts that the number of women running small businesses in BC will double to 264,000 by the year 2015.
In yet another report: “How are Women Faring in the Entrepreneurial Economy?†The author, Karen Hughes looked at trends from 1991-2001 where women made important inroads. Three sectors saw very high levels of growth of 100 -140% for management services, education services, and professional, sciences and technical services.
There is a compelling need for women to enhance their skill sets with real world knowledge and experience through mentoring relationships. Wired Woman believes the future for mentoring women in the science and technology fields will only increase in the coming years.
About Wired Woman
Incorporated in 1996, Wired Woman is a Canadian, registered non-profit society. The society’s mission is to create an open, nurturing, integrity-based environment that encourages women to explore opportunities in technology, science and new media and to build successful careers that will allow them to become a driving force in these growing sectors. Programs and activities support the three core goals of the society: networking, education and mentoring.
Media Contact:
Marnie Larson
President, Vancouver Chapter
Wired Woman
president.van@wiredwoman.com
www.wiredwoman.com