Class of '93: computer training graduates

Some of the women found the demands of juggling their studies, financial responsibilities, parenting, and the inevitable personal crises, overwhelming. Although tuition and textbook fees were paid under the program sponsorship, the technical institute was only willing to provide minimum resources, such as technical language instruction, ESL, counselling, or tutorial assistance as required by the participants. Without such support, the very barriers the program was designed to eliminate surfaced to haunt the women participating. Three of them left the program.

I am not one to measure success or failure simply in rates of completion. Success is ultimately demonstrated in the improvement to women's lives. It is my joy to say that, despite the obstacles, this project, which strived to eliminate occupational ghettoization, did indeed result in the personal and eventual economic empowerment of the women who participated.

Friendships and strong bonds had been established. Evolving into their own group support network, the women confronted and constructively resolved personal problems, academic concerns, and other conflicts. Most notable were the improvements in self-confidence and self-esteem which were beyond any measure I could have imagined. Skills, talents, and competencies gained by these women will remain with them for the rest of their lives. They will never see themselves, or allow others (instructors included), to refer to them as girls or ladies. They all emerged as strong, able, and confident women.

A segment from the graduation speech, delivered by Judy Hamilton, expresses this sense of achievement: "This program has been, more than anything else, a discovery of our strengths and powers as women. We learned that as women we have a special bond of understanding that helps us take a stand and take risks and follow paths we would not otherwise have taken. We have loved having our minds challenged and stimulated both by the academics and by the other women in the group. We feel that we're doing something meaningful with our lives. It's scary but it feels good. Today we feel a sense of accomplishment and importance and a great desire to continue on our chosen paths." At the final completion, Technical Certification was received by students in Computer Systems, Electronics, and Biotechnology.

In the four years which have followed the TechPrep program, a one year Electronics Certification Program was offered through Vancouver Community College, an institute willing to accommodate the needs of women returning to learning as well as to provide instruction in an all women's classroom. During the twelve week pre-technology training, components were designed to meet the needs of the participants, along with academic math, physics and communication, courses conforming to the admission requirements of the institute. In March 1993, the program saw the successful graduation of 12 women certified as Electronic Technicians, some who have secured full time employment with electronics firms while others are returning to advanced technology studies.