Teresa is one of Dress for Success Vancouver’s Helping Women Now clients. She was one of many women affected by layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recovery has begun, but – as the latest numbers from Statistics Canada show – getting back to work isn’t proving as easy for women as it is for men. This is her story of resilience:
Teresa was working as an office manager and marketing assistant in downtown Vancouver when the pandemic hit. The virus rocked the small IT company, and Teresa was one of the people laid off.
“I can say there were tears on both sides… because we were like a little family unit,” says Teresa.
Teresa is one of the nearly 1 in 3 women workers in B.C. who have lost their job or most of their hours.
The recovery has begun, but – as the latest numbers from Statistics Canada show – getting back to work isn’t proving as easy for women as it is for men. Male employment has increased more than twice as fast as that for women, as goods-producing industry jobs return and service industries – where women predominate – continue to lag.
Teresa is using this time to build skills. She recently completed a marketing and communications certificate at a local college, and in September is starting her Master’s degree in order to support her next career steps. She discovered Helping Women Now and got help with applying for a CERB grant, clarifying her career direction and updating her resume.
But for Teresa, the real value was more than the professional help. “I had been feeling really discouraged. Having someone to talk to and not feel alone in the world – that’s been huge for me.”
Teresa now is looking for her next role, with the help of a career coach and a recruiter, and plans to take more support workshops through Helping Women Now.
You can help more women like Teresa. Visit Helping Women Now to see how HERE.
