Each week participants will have the opportunity to engage with different facilitators and different teaching methods tackling five unique employability skill themes. Learning will involve a mixture of lecture, group discussion, individual work and assignments, group activities, and exposure to resources and materials (videos, frameworks, podcasts, etc.)
THEME 1: CAREER PLANNING
- SKILLS MATRIX This workshop will help participants identify the skills that are essential for their well-being and career success.
- SELF-KNOWLEDGE This workshop will help participants understand their unique skillsets as well as discover what career paths they may be interested in pursuing and how they can enter that field.
- GOAL SETTING This workshop will help participants break down long-term goals into manageable SMART goals.
THEME 2: GETTING HIRED
- FOUNDATIONS OF CV WRITING SESSIONS 1 + 2 Participants will learn how to build a successful CV, this will be reviewed by program staff.
- COVER LETTER WRITING SESSIONS 1 + 2 Participants will learn how to write a Cover Letter that highlights their skillset and suitability for a position.
- INTERVIEW SKILLS Participants will gain insight into the interview process, learn how to succeed in interviews and put their learnings into practice. They will do mock interviews where their skills will be evaluated and they will receive feedback from program staff and peers.
THEME 3: BUILDING YOUR NETWORK
- LINKEDIN WORKSHOPS Participants will create a LinkedIn profile and learn how to use it to advance their career. They will learn about informational interviews and how to network using this tool.
- MENTORSHIP Participants will learn how to establish a relationship with a mentor, including how to find a mentor, how to reach out, and how to ensure the longevity of that relationship.
- EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Participants will learn how to communicate effectively, why it is important, and how to apply these skills in a workplace context.
- CAREER DAY Participants will learn from experienced professionals who will share their career paths and how they got to where they are today.
THEME: 4 SHARPENING YOUR POWER SKILLS
- UNDERSTANDING HR + RECRUITMENT Participants will learn about how Human Resources and recruitment work and how they can use that knowledge to secure themselves jobs.
- LEADERSHIP Participants will explore what it means to be a leader, and especially what it means to be a leader as a marginalized woman. They will work collaboratively on a leadership project that will push them to put their leadership skills into practice.
- POWER SKILLS Participants will distinguish the difference between soft and hard skills and understand what employers really want.
- DIGITAL LITERACY Participants will go through multiple workshops on how to use technology safely and how to decipher bias online and fake news.
- INTRODUCE MICROSOFT OFFICE Participants will learn how to use Microsoft suite including Word, Excel, and Power Point.
THEME 5: MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE
- FRENCH REVISION FOR THE WORKPLACE Participants will go through weekly workshops where they will learn and practice French for professional settings. This series of workshops will be led by a French teacher.
- KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Participants will receive legal information on their labour rights, as well as the Canadian and Quebec Charter. This series will be led by McGill Legal Information Clinic.
- FINANCIAL LITERACY Participants will distinguish the difference between soft and hard skills and understand what employers really want.
- RESILIENCY TRAINING Participants will learn how to build resiliency to continue despite the challenging parts of life. This series of workshops will be led by a trauma-informed therapist.
This initiative is funded by:
