New Social Enterprise Aims To Get Women Into The Energy Sector
SAINT JOHN – A new social enterprise out of the Saint John Community Loan Fund is aiming to bring more entrepreneurial women into the energy industry.
“We are on a mission to find 12 Women to join NEXT inc., our new social enterprise,” said Diane Snelgrove, of the Saint John Community Loan Fund, in a release. “For 10 years our Enterprising Women program has helped Women become more self-reliant by starting their own businesses. Our new opportunity, NEXT Inc. is focused on entrepreneurs becoming home energy auditors.”
Next Inc. will be a social enterprise energy business. Its team, which will consist of graduates from the Loan Fund’s new program, will conduct home energy audits for clients.
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The new program was created by the Saint John Community Loan Fund in partnership with the Canadian Women’s Foundation, as a response to the Loan Fund’s ongoing effort to offer cutting-edge programming which addresses future emerging industries’ needs in New Brunswick.
Until February 4, women can submit their application to join NEXT Inc., through the Saint John Community Loan Fund. The six-month course will begin in February 2021 online one evening a week; with Spring and Summer expanded Home Energy training sessions. Interviews will determine the 12 accepted candidates.
The course will have four phases. Phase one is the Enterprising Women program, which is focused on entrepreneurship. Phases two and three prepare participants for the NRCan Home Energy Auditor National Exams. The fourth phase is in the field hands-on work with Home Owners mentors by Energy Auditors. The 12 women will also receive mentorship from industry leaders from Blue House Energy and EnerCheck.
Once the students graduate, they will become home energy auditors Next Inc. employees. As a social enterprise, profits from the business will go back into the program.
“This social enterprise is a two-way win; Women gain careers in the energy field and the SJ Community Loan Fund creates a self-funding model which allows more women to become trained,” said Seth Asimakos of Saint John Community Loan Fund, in a release. “Profits of the social enterprise will be cycled back into training, for more women to discover the power of entrepreneurship.”