Important distinctions for initiatives promoting the professional empowerment of young women
July 6 , 2022
ATHENS, GR – ReGeneration has been recognized once again for its achievements as the largest employment and training program in Greece, at the newly launched Women Empowerment Awards. Powered by Boussias Communications, the awards highlight actions, initiatives, and practices related to women’s empowerment and equal opportunities in the workforce.
The double “Gold” distinction recognized ReGeneration’s FEMpowerment Initiative ( a holistic program for women in entrepreneurship), as well as a cluster of ReGeneration programs promoting equal opportunities in the labor market, solidifying the organization’s commitment to providing meaningful post-university training and employment opportunities, through its series of coordinated initiatives and programs empowering young women.
Greece ranks last in the Gender Equality Index, according to the EU, while 63% of women in Greece expect challenges regarding their entry to, and development in the labor market for the next five years following the pandemic, according to a survey conducted by Women on Top. In an effort to respond to these challenges, ReGeneration is steadily investing in strategic partnerships with companies (Microsoft, Google.org, Ernst & Young, AB Vassilopoulos) and public bodies (U.S. Embassy in Athens), as well as non-for-profits (Women on Top), creating innovative programs for ReGeneration Academy – the program’s up/re – skilling incubator.
ReGeneration received the following awards:
Gold Award in the category Women Education & Skilling, for the “ReGeneration FEMpowerment Initiative”.
ReGeneration, with the valuable support of the U.S. Embassy in Athens and AB Vassilopoulos, jointly presented, for the first time, the ReGeneration FEMpowerment Initiative – a dynamic program aimed at the substantial promotion of female entrepreneurship, as well as the personal and professional empowerment of young professionals.
This strategic partnership consisted of two thematic pillars:
- The Academy: the first specially-designed academy with an emphasis on female entrepreneurship for women up to 35 years old, implemented by ReGeneration, with the valuable guidance of Women on Top. The program included capacity building workshops, speeches, specialized training and mentoring, as well as two tailor-made learning paths in soft and entrepreneurship skills designed by ReGeneration in collaboration with LinkedIn Learning.
- The Masterclass Series: an innovative series of ten talks and workshops from a top roster of global speakers. The Masterclass series was open to the general public and aimed to transfer knowledge and experiences, inspire participants, and provide “food for thought,” but also practical solutions to issues concerning gender equality, and professional and personal development.
Gold Award in the category Public Sector & NGOs for all ReGeneration programs supporting young women professionally.
Guided by a holistic approach to supporting gender equality and the empowerment of young women, especially in significantly under-represented sectors, ReGeneration has implemented a series of programs to reduce the digital gender gap and support the integration of more young women into technology sector jobs. According to the European Commission’s 2020 Digital Skills Index, Greece ranks 26th, with only 16.4% of women declaring themselves skilled professionals employed in the technology sector.
Through ReGeneration Academy, which includes specialized training (80-250 hours) in key market sectors, as well as employment opportunities in a network of 1,600 companies, we have created four specialized Academies exclusively for young women:
○ ReGeneration Academy 4Women in Tech-Project Management powered by Microsoft
○ ReGeneration Academy on Female IT Career Pathways in cooperation with INCO Academy – Work in Tech, with the support of Google.org
○ ReGeneration Academy for Women in Data Engineering, powered by EY
○ ReGeneration Academy 4Women In Software Quality Assurance-Testing powered by Microsoft
In addition to the programs supporting women in business, ReGeneration partnered with the U.S. Embassy in Athens and AB Vassilopoulos for the implementation of the ReGeneration FEMpowerment Initiative.
These awards certify the dawn of new era for ReGeneration, serving as a driving force to maximize our social impact by supporting young women in their quest to claim a better, and more equal “today!”
About ReGeneration
ReGeneration is the largest employment and training program in Greece. An initiative of the Global Shapers Athens Hub and World Economic Forum, ReGeneration was created with the goal of contributing to youth employment, bridging the skills gap, and combating “brain drain.” The program addresses talented young graduates (up to 29 years old) in a range of specialties with 0 – 3 years of work experience, who strive to stand out as young professionals in Greece. ReGeneration offers participants 6 months (minimum) paid employment at multinational companies and SMEs in Greece, and 50 hours of training with a focus on personal and professional development, as well as mentoring opportunities with renowned market executives.
To date, ReGeneration has placed over 2,600 young graduates in roles at over 925 participating companies nationwide, and has, through its various programs, offered 690,000 hours of training in soft and digital skills. In addition, some 92% of participants’ contracts are extended beyond the 6-month minimum paid employment. It is a non-profit program and is supported by: Coca-Cola and The Hellenic Initiative.
For more information about ReGeneration, each program, and the conditions of participation, visit www.regeneration.gr.
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