In the past few years, Corus has implemented a number of special projects to increase the number of women in leadership positions throughout the company. In 2003, Corus launched their Assistant Radio Program Director training program to develop employees from groups under-represented in managerial positions in Corus' radio programming departments. Recruiters made special efforts to encourage women to enrol, and successfully promoted women graduates to Program Director positions after they completed the program.
To ensure that they continue to create and facilitate career development opportunities for women employees, Corus also hosts an annual "Women in Leadership" event. Women employees at the supervisor and managerial levels attend the two-day function to learn how they can balance their career aspirations with family, community and other personal priorities. Topics are chosen in advance by prospective participants, and external speakers are invited to give presentations on subjects of interest to the group. Attendants also get the opportunity to speak with the President and CEO of Corus about issues that concern them.
Corus also funds special programs in broadcast technology, and radio programming and administration for members of the Canadian Women in Communications organization, a group that provides a wide range of internships, mentoring and other educational opportunities for women in the Canadian media industry.
Corus also helps to fund a special continuing education program at the Banff Centre, which is designed for women managers in the communications industry. Hosted in beautiful Banff, Alberta, the "Canadian Women in Communications/Corus New Media Career Accelerator Program" is a six-day intensive training program offered in partnership with the Banff Centre.
"It is particularly gratifying for me to work at Corus, an organization that has a progressive attitude towards the development of leadership skills...[and the] professional achievement of women."
— Jane Harrison, Vice-President and Associate General Counsel, Corus Entertainment