York University's School of Continuing Studies launches bursary to provide financial assistance for women pursuing STEM-related programs

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the York University School of Continuing Studies announced an endowed bursary to benefit women students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) related programs at the School. This new bursary is funded by a $100,000 donation from Aquicon Construction Company. 

Aquicon also committed an additional $25,000 in support of York's Emergency Student Support Fund to provide essential financial assistance for full-time York students affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Aquicon was chosen as the general contractor for the School's stunning new building in October 2019, which broke ground on the structure in March 2020.

The School of Continuing Studies offers certificate programs that allow international students and Canadians to reskill or upskill in high-demand fields and seize new career opportunities in as little as six months of study.

A defining mandate of the School since its creation in 2015 has been to create accessible opportunities for underrepresented populations, including gender equity in a variety of male-dominated emerging technology fields.

"Looking at our student data over the last several years, we noticed several exciting trends. From fall 2019 to winter 2020, 29.1 per cent of students enrolled in the School's tech programs identified as women. In the following year, that grew to 35.4 per cent," says Tracey Taylor-O'Reilly, assistant vice-president of continuing studies at York University.

"Across North America, we are seeing more women pursue careers in STEM-related fields, shrinking the gender gap within these industries. This bursary aims to continue this trend and offer women greater access to upskilling and reskilling opportunities in these high-demand professions. I am deeply grateful for Aquicon's generosity and commitment to the pursuit of education, and I am so excited for this bursary to help women learners pursue exciting new career paths."

Taking cybersecurity as an example of this trend, when the School launched the country's first university-level cybersecurity certificate program in 2017, approximately 10 per cent of the industry identified as female. But in recent years, those numbers have increased. According to a 2020 report by (ISC)2, women currently account for 25 per cent of the global cybersecurity workforce.

The first of these bursaries will be awarded in 2029. Find out more about professional programs offered at the School.

About the York University School of Continuing Studies

The York University School of Continuing Studies is a diverse community of learning united by a shared sense of purpose — achieving personal and professional growth in a world of constant change. Our ability to help students lead in the face of this change has made us the fastest growing school in Canada.

We set our students up for success by teaching them specialized knowledge and technical skills, as well as enhancing their soft skills, cultural understanding, and cross-disciplinary know-how.

The School embraces a global perspective through collaborative relationships with leaders in industry and academia across Canada and around the world. 

SOURCE York University School of Continuing Studies

Tamara Dinelle, Director of Marketing and Communications, York University School of Continuing Studies, 437-214-0845, [email protected]