CHIMA is pleased to announce a new partnership with Women in Communications and Technology (WCT).

Founded in 1991, Women in Communications and Technology is the only Canadian coast-to-coast non-profit organization that inspires and supports women to achieve their highest career potential in Canada’s digital economy through professional development, mentorship, advocacy and research.

While the organization is grassroots and volunteer based, it boasts a large network of nearly 10,000 women and men across the country who support WCT’s vision. That vision, as executive director Joanne Stanley describes, is “a global digital economy that is diverse and inclusive of all genders, nationalities, and cultures.” WCT strives to change attitudes, remove barriers, and equip and empower Canadian women to succeed and lead in the digital economy.

WCT may be new to the health information industry, but it certainly isn’t new to information management. “CHIMA has over 4,500 women working in information roles in the health care sector, and we have an equal number of women working in information management jobs across all other sectors,” says Stanley. As a core network of women in technology, she sees a great synergy between the two organizations.

One of the key features of this partnership is that professional and affiliate members will receive a complimentary WCT membership, made accessible in March of 2021. WCT members will also have the opportunity to join CHIMA as an affiliate member.  

“I think we can share some best practices around leadership and career advancement,” Stanley says. WCT offers a variety of free webinars, chapter events (typically in person, though currently virtual), and mentorship programs.

“We know that the larger and more diverse you can make your own personal network, the better it is for you professionally,” she says. “I’m a huge advocate for helping women to expand their network as broadly as they can and learn from women doing similar jobs in other sectors.” While many organizations have their own internal mentorship programs, mentorship outside your own workforce is so important—and that’s what WCT helps facilitate.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to bring new career development opportunities to our members through a reputable and long-standing organization dedicated to advancing the role of women professionally,” says Betsy Nejat, director of national partnerships with CHIMA. “CHIMA and WCT are well aligned in their objectives to support women in the workforce today.” Future discussions between the two organizations will explore additional opportunities for mentorship programming, coaching, workforce studies, support for students, and more.

WCT’s longevity and commitment as a national association is admirable, with active chapters, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of program graduates who are successfully employed. CHIMA is thrilled to be able to offer members professional development and leadership opportunities through WCT and looks forward to further collaboration.

For more information about WCT, please visit their website at wct-fct.com.