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InspireHer: Inspiring the Next Generation’s with Today’s Leaders

InspireHer is the flagship project founded by Quantius Education Foundation to realize its mission to grow the size and diversity of the Canadian knowledge-based workforce, with a first step to increase the number of a qualified women, new Canadians, visible minorities and LGBTQ+ qualified to work in STEEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship & Mathematics). The experiential learning initiative directly connects secondary students with women and minority industry leaders through job-shadowing, focus group discussions and mentorship opportunities. The goal is for students to gain an understanding of career and leadership opportunities available to women and minority in STEEM and be inspired to launch careers in the Canadian knowledge-based sector.

 
InspireHer X UHN event at Toronto Rehab Institute

InspireHer X UHN event at Toronto Rehab Institute

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PROGRAM HISTORY

InspireHEr was the result of 18+ months of comprehensive discovery and primary research by the Quantius Education Foundation, engaging hundreds of Canada’s secondary and post-secondary students, educators, as well as C-Suite executives and HR leaders across various knowledge-based industries. The research identified several barriers to diversity & inclusion at at education level, as well as opportunities to build pipeline for a larger and more diverse knowledge-based workforce in the next decade, including:

  1. An understanding of career and leadership opportunities for Canadian women and minorities in STEEM, with focus on grades 9-12,

  2. An inclusive and diverse peer network of students (e.g. women, new Canadians, visible minorities, LGBTQ+, Indigenous people, etc.) interested in STEEM for ongoing peer-to-peer support

  3. Meaningful dialogue and mentorship from industry professionals, particularly Canadian women and visible minority leaders working in STEEM fields.

InspireHer was designed as a solution: an inclusive and interactive experiential learning program to promote leadership opportunities, identifying role models, and encouraging young women and minorities in grades 9-12 to pursue higher education in STEEM.

As a result, InspireHer was designed as a solution to bridge existing gender and diversity gaps in key knowledge-based industries, with aim to inspire and promote leadership opportunities, identify role models, and encourage young women and new Canadians in grades 9-12 to pursue higher education in STEEM in an inclusive and interactive setting.

Since its inception, InspireHer has had the opportunity to collaborate with preeminent organizations including Shopify, University Health Network (UHN), and PagerDuty. As a sector partner of the Toronto District School Board, InspireHer continues to grow in Ontario and will be launching its next chapter in collaboration with leaders in key knowledge-based industries including Healthcare, Aerospace & Aviation, Financial Services and High-tech. Students will have the opportunity for hands-on experience, skills development workshops, 1-to-1 interaction with Canada’s leading professionals, and be inspired to pursue a career in Canada’s growing knowledge-based economy.