As the annual meeting of STAC, Canada’s Structure, Tower and Antenna Council, STAC2021 continued yesterday, one of the more interesting sessions was the afternoon panel presented by the “Women of STAC” sub-council, bringing together women from across the country to discuss some of the career development tools that have helped them thrive in a predominantly male-dominated tower industry.
The “Women of STAC” sub-council works to identify areas where there are training, mentoring, and networking gaps and identifies opportunities for career advancement for women in Canada’s telecommunications industry. The committee explores initiatives such as scholarships, training grants, corporate and industry recruitment plans, and educational opportunities for STAC members.
I found it to be a fascinating session, with a wide range of perspectives brought by Katie Malone from TELUS, Tracey Walsh of CBC/Radio-Canada, Jennifer Mills with the Canadian Coast Guard, Lorna Levac, from Land Squared / Shared Network Canada, and moderated by Lisa Traverse of Alliance Corp.
The speakers discussed how leadership skills, mentorships, networking and safety leadership helped elevate their careers working for a variety of employers: a wireless service provider, a broadcaster, the Coast Guard, and a vertical real estate company, shining light on challenges and opportunities they faced along their career paths. Communicating, exhibiting enthusiasm, and pride in your work, while treating people the way you want to be treated were discussed as important leadership traits.
In terms of mentorship, Lisa Traverse quoted Tim McGraw’s lyrics (from what happens to be among my wife’s favourite songs):
When you get where you’re going don’t forget turn back around
And help the next one in line
(Always stay humble and kind)
How do younger employees learn how to network effectively? How do companies provide opportunities for networking and mentorship to accelerate professional development for employees? What more can executives do to facilitate and encourage high potential candidates progressing toward their career objective?