Calgary, Canada, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Helcim is launching an online store to sell locally designed and sourced t-shirts. Proceeds from the sale of the apparel will go to Calgary-based Chic Geek to support their goal of attracting more women to tech-based roles – an industry-wide challenge that sees 56% of women in tech roles leaving the industry mid-career.
“The t-shirt depicts a fierce lioness surrounded by binary code to symbolize the strength of various technology teams,” explains Helcim designer and t-shirt artist Gina Gong. “The catchphrase across borders is intended to empower women pursuing a role in technology and speak to the limitless growth we believe they can experience throughout their careers.”
The Helcim team is pleased to continue to be an active partner of Chic Geek for the third consecutive year. Creating a path for diverse technology teams and ensuring that more women feel supported to join and stay in the technology industry is a very important part of the culture at Helcim. In fact, Helcim employees who have signed up as mentors with Chic Geek’s career search program have contributed to 49% of Chic Geek mentees experiencing role changes in the past year.
“The T-shirt initiative is another way we’re excited to increase our engagement with Chic Geek,” says Helcim CFO Marjorie Juno-Read. “We are delighted that the artist behind the shirt is a female team member from Helcim. Highlighting her talents while raising money and awareness for a great partner and the important cause of gender diversity and equality in the workplace is something I am excited about .”
“Women hold only 25% of IT roles in the industry, and of those women, 56% leave their technical roles mid-career. The number one reason we’re seeing women leave their tech roles mid-career is not because of family demands, but because they can’t see a path for advancement, says Chic Geek founder Kylie Woods. “Partners like Helcim help us break through these challenges, and our hope with the Helcim t-shirt initiative is that it can create more visibility for mentors and allies who support diverse and inclusive teams.”
Out of bounds t-shirts will be sold using Helcim’s free Online Checkout tool and produced by one of Helcim’s Calgary-based merchants Local Laundry, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting local businesses and Calgary’s thriving tech economy.
For more information about Helcim, the initiative, and to purchase your shirt, visit the Helcim store here.
About Helcim
Helcim is on a mission to be the world’s most loved payments company by giving small businesses every possible advantage to thrive and enrich our communities. The company delivers a simpler, smarter and more affordable payment experience with a human touch. Helcim serves thousands of businesses in Canada and the US across 800 different industries, processing billions in payments each year.
About Chic Geek
Chic Geek is an organization committed to building gender diversity in technology. Chic Geek curates people, content and companies to build a supportive community where female tech builders can advance their careers. The Career Pathing initiative is designed to help women in technology build strategic networks and gain greater career visibility. Learn more at thechicgeek.ca.
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