NUI Galway has announced a new partnership with charity Dress for Success to promote gender equality in the workplace.
Working together, the university and charity are creating a programme of gender equality outreach events for International Women’s Day.
Dress for Success is a Dublin based charity promoting the economic independence of women by providing career development tools and a support network.
Since 2011, they have supported over 2,000 women with the professional clothing, skills and development opportunities needed to secure employment and achieve success.
International Women’s Day takes place on March 8, and to celebrate it NUI Galway and Dress for Success are holding a number of events along with the charity providing advice on CV preparation and looking sharp for interviews to women entering the workplace.
On Tuesday, March 7 Sonya Lennon, the founder of Dress for Success Dublin will address up to 200 students on First Steps to Success – Owning your Worth and Planning the Game Strategy.
She will talk to students about creating their personal brand, understanding their own worth, and how to optimise their career from day one.
The same day a roundtable discussion and media event on Equality in the Work Place will look at many issues including the gender pay gap.
Sonya will be joined by Dr Michelle Millar, Head of School of Political Science and Sociology, and Merit Medical’s Vice-President of European Operations, Mark Butler.
Professor Anne Scott, Vice-President for Equality and Diversity at NUI Galway said the university is delighted to work with Dress for Success to strive for gender equality in the community.
“Sonya is a great ambassador for female empowerment,” Prof Scott said, adding that Dress for Success “supports women from all social, economic, and cultural backgrounds with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to unlock their potential”.
She concluded that this partnership is one of several initiatives the university is taking to address issues such as the gender pay gap.
The position of vice-president for equality and diversity was created in 2016 in the wake of an Equality Tribunal ruling that NUIG had discriminated against Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington in passing her over for promotion.
Later in May NUI Galway will hold a community outreach event designed to give women outside of Dublin a chance to make use of the services of Dress for Success.
The service provides advice and interview clothing and appropriate work wear for women who are trying to return to or gain entry to the workforce.
A team, including two stylist volunteers, will dress up to 15 women on the day.
Sonya Lennon said it’s great to see the work NUIG has been doing to move towards full gender equality and Dress for Success is glad to play a part in that.
“We are also excited to have the opportunity to work with women in the area seeking to enter or renter the workforce, empowering them economically and giving them the tools they need to succeed.”
