Algonquin College launches innovative new program that will Save A Seat for Women in Technology fields
Posted on Friday, November 23rd, 2018
Algonquin College is announcing a new program aimed at increasing the number of women in four of its most popular technology programs.
The “We Saved You a Seat” initiative is a three-year pilot program that will reserve 30 per cent of the available seats in electrical engineering technician, mechanical engineering technology, electro-mechanical engineering technician and computer systems technician for women who meet the programs’ minimum admission standards.
“I am very proud of this program. It is a chance for us to not only encourage women in technology, but also to support them once they arrive here,” said Algonquin College President Cheryl Jensen. “We are making a bold statement about who we are as a College, and we are a College that supports all our learners.”
Once they arrive at the College, successful female applicants will receive additional support in the form of increased scholarships and bursaries specifically to support women in technology programs, mentorship from industry and community mentors and faculty who are going to receive additional professional education on how to be the best instructors in gender-diverse classrooms.
The College created the program to address several issues:
• Having a “critical mass” of female students reduces their feelings
of isolation
• Group learning is more effective and learning outcomes improve
in classes of equally mixed genders
• Classrooms that foster gender-inclusive skills result in greater
effectiveness in workplaces
• Employers want to create a more diverse workplace and will look
to Algonquin College as a source of diverse talent
We Saved You A Seat is already being applied to applications for spring 2019.
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For more information:
Ruth Dunley, Communications Manager
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 6452
Mobile: 613-406-0970
dunleyr@algonquincollege.com
Chris Lackner, Communications Officer
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 2091
About Algonquin College:
http://www.algonquincollege.com
The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. Algonquin College, an Ontario public sector community college, does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected, experiential learning in more than 185 programs. Based in the Ottawa Valley, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in eastern Ontario.
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