Western University announced a new partnership with Hydro One, Ryerson University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and University of Waterloo to increase enrolment and career opportunities for female students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
The Hydro One Women in Engineering University Partnership program will address three phases of career development from high school to undergraduate studies to the workforce and will include:
• Developing new outreach activities for elementary and high school girls to increase awareness and understanding of engineering as a preferred career option;
• Enhancing the success of women undergraduate students by providing support through mentoring and other networking opportunities with female engineers; and
• Creating supportive networks and support for female engineering graduates as they transition into the workforce, through co-op and internship opportunities and workforce preparation development.
“This partnership will have a lasting impact on future female engineers and the engineering profession as a whole,” says Andrew Hrymak, Dean of Western Engineering. “Through collaboration and resource sharing, this consortium will enable us to build on our respective strengths, expand our reach to girls and young women and effect positive change in the participation and retention rates of female students.” Western Engineering currently has 18.7 per cent female enrolment at the undergraduate level.
“This new partnership will help us achieve our goal of increasing the proportion of female students to be among the highest in Ontario,” says Hrymak. “Together, we will develop a more diverse workforce, which will benefit the field of engineering.”
Hydro One and Western University have a long history of partnership, including the Hydro One Chair in Power Systems Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and support for research and student awards.”Businesses thrive on a diversity of thought and perspective, and that’s why Hydro One is committed to investing in educating and training our future workforce,” says Carmine Marcello, President and CEO of Hydro One. “We are proud that 20 per cent of our engineers are women, more than double the national average for companies our size, but we want to see that number increase.”
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