Windsor’s WEST unveils second location to help women in workforce

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A local organization that provides employment training and other workforce support for women has opened a second location.

On Thursday, Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor Inc. welcomed more than 100 visitors to its new office space on Howard Avenue.

“It’s a day of celebration, but also one of reflection,” said Nadine Manroe-Wakerell, president of WEST’s board of directors. “We are not just opening a new building here. We are opening the doors of opportunity for women in our community.”

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The non-profit’s new location in the Roundhouse Centre, next to Canadian Blood Services, will serve as a hub for employment services and skilled trades.

“It’s a place where women can feel empowered to take the next steps in their careers and education and their personal journeys, and change the trajectory of their lives and their family’s lives for generations to come.”

Established in 1987, WEST provides women with employment services, training programs, settlement support for newcomers, youth programs, and more. Its headquarters are located at 647 Ouellette Avenue.

Rose Anguiano Hurst, WEST’s executive director, called the new location a “beacon of hope and a gateway to potential.” Five hundred job-seekers attended an employment event at the building earlier this month — a testament to the work WEST can accomplish on Howard Avenue, she said.

“There’s so much we can do together,” Anguiano Hurst said.

“Our mission is to bridge the gap between challenges and opportunity, to empower individuals to take control of their futures and to build a stronger, more inclusive community.”

WEST is holding its annual International Women’s Day Gala on March 8 at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. Doors open at 5 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit westofwindsor.com/iwd.

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