The Women in Golf Awards is collaborating with global golf recruitment specialists Colt McKenzie McNair (CMM) and personal and professional development experts Bernhard Academy to deliver a unique insight and educational day for the 2024 Awards finalists.
As well as providing a valuable opportunity for the 24 finalists, the ambition of this collaboration is to accelerate growth in the number of women working in the industry by identifying factors that prohibit women considering golf as a career.
“Our industry is incredibly reliant on instinct rather than insight and data, particularly when it comes to women playing and working in golf,” explains the founder of Women in Golf Awards Nicole Wheatley. “If we want to see positive change we need to attract, employ and retain more women across the board. We are very lucky to have sponsors who are genuinely passionate about learning how we can do that, so I am excited to work with them, CMM, Bernhard Academy and the finalists to better understand this market.”
The education day, which is taking place at PING HQ, is one of several initiatives that the Women in Golf Awards wants to introduce to give women working in golf access to important connections. Meet ups at key events during the year, a regular newsletter and promotion of partner initiatives will also contribute to ongoing support.
“Working in golf can be quite isolating for women, so having the opportunity to connect with more women and share our lived experiences is extremely valuable,” comments Sami Strutt, Education Director of Bernhard Academy. “The education we have planned for the day will guide the participants to better understand their own strengths and learn how to enhance their relationships. We know from previous sessions that people feel empowered with new skills that they can apply immediately, which makes this a very valuable experience.”
The final session of the day will be led by the women themselves. In an open discussion, the women will be encouraged to share their own experiences and challenges to help create insight that can hopefully encourage more women to apply for roles in golf.
“While many organisations in the industry are eager to hire more women, there remains a gap in understanding how to effectively achieve this goal and inspire women to pursue opportunities within their teams.” comments Adam Keable, Director from CMM. “This discussion will provide valuable insights, helping us better understand the support women need and the challenges they may face when considering job opportunities. This is a significant opportunity for the industry, so hopefully we can get a step closer to realising this.”