A forum on empowering women in the workforce took place in Maple Ridge in the lead-up to International Women’s Day.
Around 40 women packed a room at The Well in Chances Casino in Maple Ridge, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to hear four local panelists who were there to share their experience for the conference called “Women Leading the Way: Career Growth & Leadership Forum.”
Panelists included: Nicole Archer, executive director of the Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association; Bukkie Adewuyi, vice president of Internal Audit and Risk Advisory with Aritzia; Michelle Lewis, chief human resources officer with the City of Maple Ridge; and Tiffany Laurie, executive director of Regulatory Affairs and assistant co-secretary with Great Canadian Entertainment, as well as the owner and operator of Tomes and Tales.
The panel was moderated by Aminah Khan.
Archer shared how encouraged she is to see so many women who are now in leadership roles.
And, she said, as a person who deals with a lot of small businesses, what’s really encouraging for her is seeing female entrepreneurship.
Women, she said, are starting their own businesses, leading their communities, and hiring other women to support their businesses.
“It’s not easy,” she said, but, she added, women can do whatever they put their minds to.
“As women we are having to put ourselves out there,” said Archer.
“The idea of women just being at home and caring for their children and husbands is way in the past. We all have to get in there and do our part. And, as women we’ve always been strong, we’ve always been leaders, we’ve always been powerful,” she added.
Times have changed, agreed Adewuyi, saying single income households can’t survive in today’s economy.
Adewuyi noted that there are a lot of programs available that are geared towards women to support them grow and develop in the workplace.
Lewis said the city makes every effort to make their workforce representative of the community.
It is a group that, Lewis said, has grown much more diverse.
Now, she said, more women are looking at jobs in the operations fields, and mechanics fields with the city, and the city has a lot of planners who are women as well.
Laurie, who works for Great Canadian Entertainment, which owns and operates Chances Casino, said there is a massive push for women on boards and women in senior roles, and noted that at Great Canadian, they have seen a lot of growth with women on board positions.
Laurie attributed her own success to a willingness to hustle, and told those gathered if you are keen, then people will notice you.
“I showed up every day. I paid attention, I was keen to learn,” she said, which was her key to her moving up the corporate ladder.
“If you are keen to learn and you are keen to help the organization and you’ve got passion, it will shine through,” she said.
International Women’s Day takes place on Sunday, March 8.