NorQuest expands support for women-identifying learners with new partnership

October 26, 2021

NorQuest College students achieve their best career potential when they become workforce ready. NorQuest’s Work-Integrated Learning and Career Education Centre (WILCEC) works to maximize student empowerment through education and experience. WILCEC bridges the connection between our students and the community, providing opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration with employer-partners.

Besides practical work-integrated experiences, NorQuest believes that diversity and inclusion have emerged as key values and priorities in every industry sector and organization. And so, the college is pleased to announce a new partnership between NorQuest and Accelerate Her Future to further our mutual goals.

Accelerate Her Future (AHF) is a career accelerator providing tailored programs for self-identifying Black, Indigenous and women of colour (BIWOC) to launch their careers in business and STEM while building networks of solidarity and action. AHF believes Canada is filled with ambitious and talented BIWOC who have the power to advance their careers when they have access to conditions to thrive at a pivotal time in their lives including influential networks, mentorship, solidarity, tools, skills and a range of opportunities.

The partnership between NorQuest and Accelerate Her Future will mainly focus on providing NorQuest learners with increased access to AHF’s Fellowship Circle. This program is designed by BIWOC for BIWOC, and provides mentorship, opportunities to network, and career learning labs to accelerate women’s careers in business and STEM. AHF’s programming, focused on anti-racism and racial and gender equality, will enhance NorQuest’s own career advocacy and leadership skills for our diverse student population. NorQuest will cover the entire cost for students accepted in AHF’s Fellowship Circles as well as the upcoming AHF Virtual Summit event in November 2021 as part of our commitment to supporting the success of Black, Indigenous and women of colour. Students interested in participating in these opportunities should connect directly with wilcec@norquest.ca to learn more.
 
“NorQuest is committed to the idea of we are who we include. We have it within our power to break down entrenched barriers in our system, and genuinely make learners of all ages and circumstances understand that they belong at NorQuest. Our educational partnership with Accelerate Her Future is certainly a step forward to support and empower our BIWOC learners."

– Carolyn Campbell, President & CEO, NorQuest College

“Our mission is to do our part to create the conditions in which self-identifying Black women, Indigenous women and other women of colour are fully participating at all levels of leadership in their careers of choice. Educational partnership with postsecondary institutions like NorQuest College are essential to creating systemic change by accelerating an ecosystem of solidarity and action in this mission.”

– Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi, Founder, Accelerate Her Future
 

Media enquiries

Mike Reeves

External Media Consultant

Phone: 780.288.3651

Email: Mike.Reeves@NorQuest.ca