91原创 resident and founder of the award-winning Girls Fly Too event, Kirsten Brazier is asking for 鈥渁ll hands on deck,鈥� as she invites women and girls 12 and over to spend a day on a warship Saturday, Oct. 21.
鈥淭his is a huge warship and it鈥檚 a really cool way to spend a day at sea, for free,鈥� said Brazier.
鈥淲e get to tour the ship duty stations, go into the top secret war room and at the end of the day there will be a search and rescue demonstration off the side of the ship.鈥�
The warship events are the second in a series of hands-on experiences organized by Brazier鈥檚 new not for profit Achieve Anything Foundation. This unique event is being hosted by the Navy and other agency and industry partners keen on improving gender diversity within their organizations and promoting opportunities for women in what many still perceive as 鈥渘on-traditional鈥� fields.
鈥淎s an equal opportunity employer, the Royal Canadian Navy is proud to support Operation: This IS You!鈥� said Commander -Maritime Forces Pacific, Rear Admiral Art McDonald.
鈥淪eeing us in action, you鈥檒l discover not just what we do but also how. You鈥檒l see, for example, that women and men have served alongside each other in RCN ships for many years, that all Navy trades are open to either gender, and that all receive equal pay for equal work.鈥�
With the mantra, 鈥淔rom shop floor to top floor鈥� the foundation employs a hands-on approach to introduce females to exciting new career possibilities that may never have occurred to them. Its objective is to get women sailing, flying, working with tools of the various trades and engaging with real-live role models in the technical fields.
鈥淭hey need to experience before they can be inspired,鈥� the foundation notes. 鈥淥nly then can we expect real change to gender diversity in what many still perceive as 鈥榥on-traditional鈥� fields for women.鈥�
As well, each March during the week of International Women鈥檚 Day the foundation holds its signature The Sky鈥檚 No Limit 鈥� Girls Fly Too! event.
Any female or person who identifies as female is encouraged to sign up for this day at sea by applying at . Lunch is included.
Participants are required to be in Vancouver to board the ship at 8:30 a.m. with the day at sea ending at 3:30 p.m.
Picture below: Dawn Toth from Aldergrove tries out the Captain鈥檚 chair on a warship based out of Vancouver.
