NorQuest College and Black Canadian Women in Action (BCW in Action) are partnering to open more opportunities for Black women to pursue fulfilling careers through post-secondary education.
BCW in Action empowers minority Black Canadian women and girls to relieve poverty through education and business career opportunities. The partnership will support education and lifelong learning that improves the educational, economic, and social opportunities and outcomes among Black women and girls in Alberta through the sharing of strategic resources, knowledge, and experience between NorQuest and BCW in Action.
"By embracing the diversity of our community, we are unlocking the potential of our province for all of our distinct communities," says Carolyn Campbell, President and CEO, NorQuest College. "The incredible alignment between NorQuest and BCW in Action offers this partnership the opportunity to accomplish incredible things together."
The partnership will focus on increasing the number of Black women in the 1000Women4STEM Bursary and STEM prep programs, deliver tailored learning pathways through NorQuest College Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada and English as a Second Language program, support applied research projects focused on improving Black women learning pathways, and create a business incubator program specific to supporting Black women.
"A lack of representation especially by Black women in STEM can hinder their growth and progress in the industry in keeping at par with tech skills required to progress in their careers and in business," says Jeanne Lehman, CEO, Black Canadian Women in Action Society. "This is why the partnership with NorQuest College is important as it will be geared towards supporting black women in getting the necessary STEM skills needed to be relevant and competitive in career and businesses.
