‘Mighty Women’ unite for career ‘punch’

MACHIAS – A group of more than 50 Washington County women have banded together in a unique private-public collaboration aimed at raising awareness of available services, improving the standard of living and increasing employment opportunities for area women.

“Mighty Women” consists of representatives from businesses, educational institutions, media, community organizations and governmental agencies.

“This type of public-private collaboration is so unique,” said Susan Corbett, chief financial officer of Axiom, a county-wide Internet provider.

“The energy at these meetings is incredible,” she said Thursday.

The group originally came together as the board of directors for Axiom’s spin-off company, Axiom Business Center, but found that its purpose went beyond advising that single entity.

Just by sitting and talking, the women discovered a broad range of services, training and assistance that was available in Washington County but not necessarily widely known by others.

By networking and sharing information, the group was able to see where assistance was needed, what programs overlapped and were redundant, and where the gaping holes in training and programs existed.

“Washington County is the highest recipient of government-supported programs in the state,” Corbett said. “We wanted to see if this could make a difference.”

By gathering once a month and networking the rest of the time through e-mails, the women have already found a new home for the business center, set up a 20-week basic employment training course for those seeking to get off public assistance and created a woman-to-woman mentoring program for those entering new, or first, careers.

Jane Black is director of the business center. “We were finding that many of these people looking to get to work had no support system,” she said. “Some of them could not type; they did not know how to answer a business telephone; and they not only did not have a work wardrobe, but many did not know how to properly dress for a work environment.”

Corbett said the “Mighty Women” can be role models for young women just beginning their career.

“What better role models than 50 women who have risen to the top of their professions,” she said. “If we are looking to change Washington County, we need some good role models out there.”

Using the former Machias Apothecary building as a base, Black said support systems, training and even a career clothes closet will be offered. The Machias Savings Bank has offered the space to the business center free of charge.

Corbett explained that the business center is a for-profit venture only because it is driven by private sector funds.

“It is a private enterprise driven to collaborate all local agencies, whether they are non-profit or not,” she said.

Corbett said the group is already seeing success. A 62-year-old woman who had never even used a typewriter was recently faced with losing her job when the company she worked for computerized the entire business.

Black began by getting the woman an e-mail address and teaching her how to communicate with family. Searching the Internet for recipes came next and, eventually, the woman was able to compete in her job.

The group meets in the Machias area once a month at various locations, with two presenters taking the podium each month.

The group also is using Rosie the Riveter as their logo. The cultural icon represents the millions of women who went to work in factories during World War II while the men were off fighting the war.

“We have 50 women representing 50 businesses and organizations,” Corbett said. “That’s an incredible reach into this county. Our entire vision is connection.”

Corbett said there is no reason for any one agency to reinvent the wheel.

“By collaborating, we can have the biggest punch. Everyone who has these resources can reach so many more people through Mighty Women than they can alone.”

What about gender discrimination? Corbett said it is not a problem.

“We are supported by a lot of wonderful men,” she said. “But we found that the vast majority of people needing services in Washington County were young women. We were all there once. We all had another woman help us along the way.”