Helping women succeed in a new career
Do you want a professional career that you can get excited about? We are delighted to introduce a scholarship to help propel women into professional jobs in the field of business continuity management. Training is held in cities across the country.
We would like to help those who identify as women become more confident in applying for a role in the business continuity field. Perhaps you’ve been out of the workforce to care for a child or elderly parent and are now looking for a way to return. Or you’ve been unable to find a role that leverages your passion for being organized, working with a diverse group, or making an impact on the organization. We can train you to prepare organizations for situations that could disrupt their business.
Who Are We?
We are the DRI Foundation’s Women in Business Continuity Management (WBCM) committee. We’re part of the charitable arm of DRI International, which is the international business continuity group that offers training in business continuity, and grants the professional certifications that employers are looking for in the industry. The Women in Business Continuity Management (WBCM) is a volunteer board that seeks to promote, connect, and help develop the industry skills and knowledge of those who identify as women.
What is business continuity?
Business continuity is about helping organizations be prepared for emergencies. There are several different areas one can specialize in, but all of it is focused on keeping things going after something big happens. It’s generally a desk job, typically with good pay and benefits.
To be good at business continuity, you have to be organized and able to follow through on tasks, be a good listener who able to analyze situations to find new ways of doing things, have the social skills to exercise indirect or unofficial influence, and be good at talking with people one-on-one or in groups. If you have those qualities, you might really enjoy business continuity!
What is the WBCM scholarship?
DRI offers training in cities around the country, and that training not only teaches the basics of business continuity, but also prepares students to get professional certifications like ABCP and CBCP. The scholarship is a $3,000 value for the 4.5 day workshop and exam, held in cities across the world; hardship subsidy is available as needed. In this workshop, you will be trained in the core practices of business continuity and how to execute best practices in different organizations. At the end of the training, you will have the knowledge to take the exam for one of DRI’s professional certifications.
Requirements for the scholarship are as follows:
- United States based applicant
- Hold an Associate’s degree, at minimum
- Possess basic office skills and comfort working with a computer (Microsoft Word, Excel, email)
- Ability to attend 5 days of class – hardship assistance is available for childcare, lost wages, etc
This scholarship does not apply to those already in the profession of business continuity or related disciplines, although we would very much value your participation in other WBCM initiatives.
What support is available after the training?
We have several ways of helping you succeed after your training course. We’ll help you connect with a network of women who are business continuity practitioners. WBCM offers mentorship partners, and regional peer groups to share information and advice.
Application for DRI Foundation’s WBCM Women Scholarship
If you are interested in stepping into a new field and taking this worthwhile challenge, please follow the link below to submit your application.