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WACC 2026 Unites Youth with Trailblazers in Career Mentorship

From AI pioneers to film industry icons, WACC 2026 connects ambitious youth with mentors who've shaped their fields. Will you be there to seize the opportunity?

The image shows a poster for the Wikiwomen Summit 2019, featuring three women in the center...
The image shows a poster for the Wikiwomen Summit 2019, featuring three women in the center surrounded by flowers and leaves. At the bottom of the poster, there is text that reads "Wikiwomens Summit 2019".

WACC: Bringing Together Hundreds of Halton-Area Students for an Evening of Mentorship and Career Exploration

WACC 2026 Unites Youth with Trailblazers in Career Mentorship

For more than two decades, Women as Career Coaches (WACC) has brought together youth and mentors for an evening of storytelling, guidance, and career exploration.

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, this signature event returns to the Burlington Convention Centre, featuring inspiring voices from the local community, including Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Judy Lung, an industry leader at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Golden Globes, and Shazia Akbar, founder of Okare AI.

WACC 2026 will once again connect students with women and gender-diverse professionals from across industries, including the arts, skilled trades, politics, AI and more, offering meaningful conversations, real-world insights, and powerful mentorship moments that help shape future career pathways.

WACC is a long-standing community movement, one that builds confidence, sparks curiosity, and empowers young people to envision what's possible. Through interactive networking, small-group discussions, and engaging spotlight speakers, attendees gain valuable perspectives from those who have navigated diverse and often non-linear career journeys.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will share insights from her leadership journey in public service, while Judy Lung will offer a unique perspective from her work with the Toronto International Film Festival, the Golden Globes and Canada's creative industries, and Shazia Akbar will give insights into machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-demonstrating the many pathways to success available right here in the region and beyond. More speakers will soon be announced.

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026Time: 5:15 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Burlington Convention Centre, 1120 Burloak Drive, Burlington

Women as Career Coaches welcomes women, women-identifying, two-spirit, non-binary, and gender-fluid participants. Thanks to generous community support, the event remains free and accessible to youth attendees.

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