Female high school students from across the region had the opportunity to meet and greet women working in careers they might be interested in at the annual Inspiring Women dinner.
With almost 90 people in attendance, just over half of the attendees were high school students and the rest were professional working women who were rotated around the tables, giving the students an opportunity to ask questions and suss out potential careers.
Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning and Employment Network chief executive Lisa Price said the dinner had been going since 2005 and grew out of the Gippsland Community Leadership Program.
“The idea is to open young women’s eyes to what potential careers there are,” she said.
“Sometimes they have a very limited vision of what the possibilities are for them.
“They might learn about something they never knew about, they can sit and chat with a woman that works in that area or has some background in those sorts of areas and that is where the value comes out of it.”
Ms Price said the event presented an opportunity for younger and older women to share stories.
“The young guests appreciate being able to talk to women and hear their story,” she said.
“Older women appreciate being able to share their stories.”
The event featured a number of guest speakers including Berry Street neighbourhood learning links coordinator Den Lim, Gippsland Water maintenance and optimisation engineer Kathleen Kent, Federation Training’s Skills and Jobs Centre industry engagement coordinator Elise Watson and The Australian Women’s Weekly senior journalist Sue Smethurst.
Ms Price said it was important to have local professionals at the event.
“Someone like Kathleen who was the engineer, who talked about all the things that the girls are going through now … they are the sort of messages we are trying to get through the young girls, that you might not know what you want to do, but that is OK, that is alright, reinforcing that those feelings they are going through are just normal,” she said.
“It brings women from the community together to support girls.
“We’ve had girls that have gone through as young guests and coming back as experienced guests and sharing their knowledge.”
For more information about the Inspiring Women event or the Baw Baw Latrobe LLEN, visit bawbawlatrobellen.com.au.
