Romi Levine

News Reporter

With International Women’s Week starting on Sunday, a Humber graduate said she is working hard to find solutions in bridging the gender gap.
“I think we always need to sit back and recognize what we’ve accomplished,” said the 2003 international project management grad, Katie Didyk.
“But I also think it’s important to have a week to recognize what issues are still on the table.”
She is currently the intake and outreach co-ordinator for Times Change Women’s Employment Service, which supports and trains women entering or returning to the workforce.
Didyk is organizing the Path to Employment Success, an event for International Women’s Week taking place tomorrow, where a range of successful businesswomen to unemployed women will talk about their experiences in the workforce.
“There’s something to be said in bringing a group of women together and discussing issues related to careers and employment and really generating motivation, ideas and connections with each other,” she said.
Didyk said, although there are opportunities for women to become successful, women’s rights in Canada are in question due to a large gender gap.
“I think there’s that complacency that there have been great gains therefore everything is equal, but we have seen a decrease in funding for women’s programs,” she said. “And we still hear of discrimination in the workforce, it’s not as blatant anymore, but it exists.”
Manager of the Career Centre, Karen Fast, said Times Change is able to transcend the gender gap by addressing to issues experienced predominantly by women such as getting back into the workforce after having children.
“It’s addressing needs that women have that are really different to what the men’s needs are in terms of employment situation and family issues,” Fast said.
Co-ordinator of the fundraising and volunteer management program, Ken Wyman, said, “Our program is primarily female and the non-profit sector has a lot of women.
“It’s a great field for women’s advancement, but even here there’s a wage gap.”
Women’s employment services can provide training to help women gain confidence and demand higher wages, he said.
Didyk said she sees International Women’s Week as a chance to celebrate women’s accomplishments while raising awareness for matters relating to human rights such as the gender gap.
International Women’s Week officially begins on March 7 and ends on March 13.

1. Times Have Changed « Romi Says

   March 4, 2010 at 8:09 am

   [...] Organizations like Times Change, that foster growth and confidence in women looking for employment are helping to bridge the gender gap. This is why I chose to profile this organization in this week’s Humber Et Cetera. [...]