August 23, 2011
Partnership Focused on Increasing Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs
The Provincial Government and the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) are partnering to help women-led businesses capitalize on new business opportunities. Facilitated by a $320,000 investment from the Provincial Government, NLOWE will deliver Business Connections to potential and existing women entrepreneurs throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
“This is a time of exceptional growth in Newfoundland and Labrador, which is leading to rewarding opportunities for local businesses,” said the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. “To help support women entrepreneurs and encourage young women to pursue future careers in business, our partnership with NLOWE will take aim at linking companies with specific opportunities. It is a venture that will help bolster the province’s economy and strengthen its workforce.”
With the investment, NLOWE will develop training materials and modules that will be delivered to women business owners. The organization, which has helped women start more than 800 businesses and create over 1,700 new positions, will employ two coordinators – one based in St. John’s and the other in Corner Brook – to deliver province-wide training programs. It will also work with small and medium-sized enterprises to target new opportunities and address labour market requirements.
“We are excited to partner with the Provincial Government on this innovative initiative,” said Karen Noftall, President of NLOWE’s Board of Directors. “This funding will enable NLOWE to better target the training needs of women entrepreneurs as they seek to become involved in the growth industries in this province, particularly oil and gas. Our goal is to increase the business skills of these women so that they can partner with and sell to other businesses that in turn supply a variety of products and services to these growth industries. In this way, women entrepreneurs can become an integral part of their supply chains and thus, important contributors to the provincial economy.”
The announcement was made today at BrenKir Industrial Supply in Mount Pearl by Minister Sullivan, who is also the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. Minister Sullivan was joined by representatives from NLOWE and the local business community in making the announcement.
“The new economic climate in the province presents so many opportunities for entrepreneurs, and particularly for women-led businesses who are ready to grow,” said Anne Whelan, President and CEO of CareGivers and BrenKir Industrial Supply. “ Having a collaborative network that includes industry, NLOWE and the Provincial Government all working together to advance opportunities for women entrepreneurs is essential for the development of strong businesses; trade missions, supplier development and diversity initiatives are all making a real difference. We have miles to go, but we are making real progress.”
As part of program development and delivery, NLOWE and the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development will work collaboratively and draw on their shared expertise in the areas of business and skills development, as well as supplier diversity opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador and those of larger national and international businesses. This work will additionally form the basis of the Provincial Government’s long-term approach to improving the business climate for women and attracting women to non-traditional occupations.
“As a government, and in particular the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, we have established a positive working relationship with NLOWE and see tremendous value in strengthening our partnership,” said Minister Sullivan. “Outcomes from this relationship are inviting new opportunities for women in business and emerging industry sectors. The path forward will help women break new ground and enable women to play larger roles in areas of the economy where they were previously underrepresented.”
This initiative was funded through the Workplace Skills Enhancement Program.
Administered by the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, this program helps small and medium-sized enterprises in strategic sectors acquire and increase the skills of employees to enhance productivity and global competitiveness. It is funded by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Agreement and the Strategic Training and Transition Fund.
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Media contacts:
| Scott Barfoot Director of Communications Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 690-6290 scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca |
Susan White NLOWE Marketing and Communications Coordinator 709-754-5555 ext. 232 |
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Anne Whelan President and CEO of CareGivers and BrenKir Industrial Supply 709-757-3519 |
2011 08 23 1:20 p.m.