, she’s now hiring co-op students herself, and her company has created initiatives to help female employees network and support each other.
“It is very clear that the support we give all our students – particularly the female students – during their preparation before they’re [able] to apply for positions really helps them build confidence,” she says. “They need the tools to be able to manage whatever they face in a highly professional way.”
Dr. McRae is associate provost of co-operative and experiential education at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ont., which runs the largest co-op program in the world. She says she’s been wowed by many of the women who have come through the program. All healthy relationships, especially those in the workplace, have one thing in common: They include healthy boundaries. Knowing how to set your own boundaries and respect a boundary set by someone else is an essential component of a positive, fulfilled life and career.