WCM Return-to-Work Program Provides Structured Pathway for Participants, and Strategic Investment in Talent for Sponsors
2024 Return to Bay Street Program Sees 18 New Hires
TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ - WCM today announced that 18 women have been hired through its annual Return to Bay Street (RTBS) Program in 2023. Successful candidates receive paid work at an RTBS sponsor institution, mentorship, and a one-year WCM membership.
The RTBS Program was designed to provide a structured pathway for women to reenter the workforce and minimize the challenges along the way. Career breaks are a natural part of people's professional career journeys; and organizations that actively support individuals returning to the workforce contribute to a more inclusive and adaptable work environment.
There are a multitude of reasons why women take career breaks, including: parental leave; educational pursuits; health; relocation; sabbaticals for personal development; and family care. Launched in 2010, WCM has placed 123 women back into roles equivalent to, or more senior to those they left, across the finance sector.
"Our return-to-work program is both a strategic and ethical investment," notes Odette Hutchings, chief operating officer, WCM. "It benefits not only the individual participants, but contributes to a more equitable workforce overall. Women regain confidence, update their skillset and reconnect with vital networks; and the organizations that hire them tap into a talented pipeline of experienced and knowledgeable women who bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to the workplace."
The 18 women hired through RTBS will work at the following organizations: BMO Capital Markets (one hiree); CIBC (three hirees); Mackenzie Investments (three hirees); Manulife (one hiree); Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (one hiree); RBC (four hirees); Scotiabank Global Wealth Management (one hiree); and TD Securities (four hirees).
Applications for the upcoming cohorts for RTBS will be accepted starting today, February 20, until March 8, 2024. Click here to learn more about the application process.
The Program is run in collaboration with sponsors, including: BMO, CIBC, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, Mackenzie Investments, Manulife, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, RBC, Scotiabank, and TD. These organizations actively demonstrate a commitment to supporting employees at different life stages and to actively creating conditions where there are equal opportunities for professional growth for all.
To learn more about the Program, visit https://wcm.ca/programs/rtbs
WCM (Women in Capital Markets) works to accelerate equity, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian finance industry in partnership with major Canadian bank-owned dealers, independent and foreign dealers, asset managers, insurance firms, major pension plans, regulatory agencies, exchanges, and advisory firms. As a not-for-profit founded in 1995, our community has grown to 3,700 professional and student members, and our initiatives have impacted the careers of countless students and professionals across the country. As part of a larger expansion strategy, WCM will announce a rebrand in the coming months. This new brand identity will better exemplify the important role the organization plays across Canada's financial sector in accelerating equity. To learn more, visit wcm.ca.
SOURCE Women in Capital Markets (WCM)
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