WOMEN IN MINING sent 20 women to the fly-in event to better understand the process .
“ Every single woman from Caterpillar was so impressed with what we ’ re doing and how we add value to our members . It ’ s one of the many ways we work to empower women and create a network to interact with a wide spectrum of industries ,” says Lynne Volpi , coordinator for WMC .
Even organizations in Africa are empowering women . With over 1,000 members , WiMSA ( Women in Mining South Africa ) aims to provide a forum for support and guidance for personal growth , leadership and career development for women .
“ A big challenge many women in South Africa ’ s mining industry feel is a lack of guidance and role models ,” says Noleen Paul , chairman for WiMSA . “ More than half of the WiMSA 2014 South African Industry Survey respondents feel that there is a lack of career development guidance relevant to them . Respondents also feel a lack of access to relevant role models and mentors makes getting ahead a challenge .”
With the help of these organizations , women are able to receive the guidance and support needed to
WiMSA - Noleen Pauls
develop and growth within the mining industry . They also serve to inspire women in networking and building relationships throughout the sector .
Changing of the guard In recent years , mining companies have made a big push to change stereotypes and encourage more women to enter the sector which has seen female participation levels increase . Companies like Rio Tinto , Newmont Mining , and Goldcorp have all implemented recruitment programs to enlist more women into operations .
Vancouver-based Goldcorp Inc . has adopted its own program for expanding
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