As part of our commitment to supporting women and gender equity across the electricity sector, Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) has partnered with Women+Power, an Alberta-based community developed for women of all levels of experience working in and with Alberta’s power industry. Women+Power provides opportunities for members to connect with, support, inspire and recognize each other to empower women to achieve their full potential both professionally and personally.
EHRC has resources to support gender equity in electricity, including the Leadership Accord for Gender Diversity, Leadershift: Pathways to Gender Equity and Illuminate Opportunity: Equity in the Workplace. Partnering with Women+Power provides an opportunity to help deliver these resources locally in Alberta, with the in-person support from a community of women.
“Women represent just a quarter of Alberta’s power industry. Through the power of community we believe we can work together to address the challenges that result in and from the under-representation of women in the power industry so we can begin to develop opportunities to promote increased diversity and inclusion.” Sharleen Gatcha, Founder & CEO of Women+Power said. “I’ve worked in electricity for most of my career during which I have personally experienced many gender-based challenges. At Women+Power we know first-hand that having a community of support can make all the difference in succeeding. EHRC’s support is going to make a meaningful difference, providing Women+Power with the capability to provide opportunities to connect and develop resources and programs that will enable transformational change.”
Creating pathways to success for women in electricity is something that EHRC’s CEO, Michelle Branigan, is very familiar with. “Bringing more women into electricity takes work at all levels, from the boardroom down to the front line. We’re all in this together; working with organizations like Women+Power and their community is a way to directly support women in the sector.”
This partnership will provide a way for both organizations to make a larger impact on women working in electricity, both in Alberta and beyond. Look for collaborative work and events between EHRC and Women+Power in the months to come.