Accelerate Her Future
Launches Research Study

Exploring the Career Development Experiences of Black, Indigenous and Racialized Women in Business and Tech

Get Involved

Why are We Doing this Research?

AHF has launched a research project aiming to better understand the career development experiences of Indigenous, Black, and racialized women at all stages of their careers in business and tech.

Accelerate Her Future is conducting an important research study titled “Career Development & Experiences of Black, Indigenous and Racialized Women in the Canadian Workplace”. This aims to better understand the career development experiences of Black, Indigenous, and racialized women at different stages of careers in business and tech roles — what are the barriers, gaps, and opportunities.

This research project aims to listen, learn, and develop preliminary recommendations by and for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women. We believe this study will not only benefit the population under study, but also employers, organizations that provide career and workforce development services, and levels of government looking to enhance workplace inclusion and belonging.

Our research and understanding of the experiences of Indigenous, Black, and racialized women show that workplace programs, initiatives and supports are not designed effectively for all women.

Indigenous, Black, and racialized women:

Face a labyrinth of barriers in the workplace compared to men and white women.
Are more likely than white women to feel their skills are underutilized with less access to senior leaders which leads to a systemic sponsorship gap.
Advance at a slower rate into senior leadership roles compared to white women starting with their first promotion, known as the Broken Rung.
Are more likely than white women to say they feel out of place at work and are less likely to agree that they have access to resources they need to advance their careers, such as career development and external coaching.

In order to create effective career development programs, initiatives and supports that will lead to greater retention, engagement and advancement opportunities, we need to better understand the needs and what is currently working, and not working.

Get Involved

We are looking for volunteers from our Accelerate Her Future community and extended network to take part in this research project.

There are two ways in which you can get involved – participate in a Sharing Circle or an Interview.

Participate in a Sharing Circle

Our research team is hosting moderated virtual sharing circles (each 2 hours in length) for Indigenous, Black, or racialized women about their career development experiences in business and/or tech. In the sharing circle, you will have an opportunity to hear from other Indigenous, Black, or racialized women about their career development experiences in the workplace. As a participant, you will receive compensation in appreciation of your time.

Eligibility

To be eligible to take part in a Sharing Circle, you must meet all criteria below.

  • Self-identify as an Indigenous woman (i.e. First Nations, Inuit, Métis), Black woman, or woman of colour (i.e. Arab, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Latin American, South Asian, South East Asian, West Asian, East Asian, etc.)
  • Are 18+ years of age
  • Reside in Canada
  • Have Canadian work experience (co-op/internship, part-time/full-time work experience)
  • Have worked in the field of business or tech (i.e. finance, accounting, consultant, human resources, marketing, supply chain, operations, business analyst, project management, software engineer, design, data analytics/science, product manager, web development, etc.)
  • Available between May – Aug 2023 to partake in a Sharing Circle

Interested in this research?

Click on the button below to contact us by no later than June 15, 2023. A member of our research team will reach out to you with next steps.

Submit your interest

Participate in an Interview

The Accelerate Her Future research team is hosting 75-minute virtual interviews with individuals who have past or current experience as a human resources professional (i.e. recruitment, talent management, learning and development), people leader, equity and inclusion professional, chair of employee resource groups in Canadian workplaces, career coach or career advisors.

We want to learn more about your insights on the career development needs and initiatives for Black, Indigenous and/or racialized women in the workplace. As a participant, you will also receive compensation in appreciation of your time.

Eligibility

To be eligible to take part in an Individual Interview, you must meet all criteria below.

  • Are 18+ years of age
  • Reside in Canada
  • Previously or currently working in the field of human resources, equity and inclusion, chair of an employee resource group, career coaching, and/or a career advisory in postsecondary
  • Have experience working with Indigenous, Black and/or racialized women
  • Available between April – July 2023 for the interview

Interested in this research?

If you’re interested in this research, click on the button below to contact us by no later than June 15, 2023. A member of our research team will reach out to you with next steps.

Submit your interest

Questions?

You may contact our Research Lead at any time
Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi through info@accelerateherfuture.com.

Interested in the study results?

Interested in reading the final report or attending a webinar to learn about the study results? Sign up to the Accelerate Her Future newsletter to get notified of all our latest updates!

This Research Project is Supported By

Accelerate Her Future’s Career Development & Experiences of Black, Indigenous and Racialized Women in the Canadian Workplace research project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre. This study has been approved on ethical grounds by Veritas Independent Review Board.