For many of us, International Women’s Day is a cue to look back and see just how far we’ve come over the past year. What progress have we made in the areas of gender bias? How have we managed to increase equality for women? This March 8th we will all rally around “An equal world is an enabled world” theme … but just how equal have women become?

Good news! The number of women “disruptors” in the workforce is on the rise.

Without question, women have started to take over many traditionally held male-dominated jobs. Salaries and titles have moved up to parity in many sectors. But there is still a long way to go. Take technology, for instance: there continues to be a huge under-representation of women in this sector. And that translates into a big opportunity for women to make their mark and play a leading role.

Technology and digital transformation represent a huge opportunity for women.

Artificial Intelligence, biotech, bioengineering and virtual reality are not only here, but they are changing faster than anybody ever thought possible.  Without question, these areas will represent a significant portion of career opportunities. Yes, there arewomen occupying seats around boardroom tables at leading edge companies including Apple, Alphabet, Twitter, Huffington Post, Eventbrite, Birchbox, SAP, Yahoo, Facebook, Oracle and many more. In fact, a recent article showcased 100 influential women in tech globally. But there is much more work -- and huge opportunity -- ahead. And if women are going to compete equally, they will need to be well versed in technology and the opportunities it presents.

Post-secondary education is the key to groom women to rise to the top of their fields

From creating inclusive workplaces so women can thrive, to championing women to lead in tech innovation, our first step has to be to set women up for success. And that means giving females access to education they need to compete and lead on the world stage. Yes, this higher education can often come with a hefty price tag. But that’s where a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) can help.

An RESP opens the door to a world of opportunities in any sector – including tech.

As innovation continues to happen at a breathtaking pace, education will become even more key.  Women will need to have access to specialized knowledge and training in order to compete and stay current. An RESP can open these possibilities by helping parents save easily for post-secondary education. Simply deposit as little as $9.50 monthly into a Canadian Scholarship Trust RESP to grow your savings tax free in the plan. Not only that, the Canada Education Savings Grant from the Government of Canada boosts annual RESP contributions by 20% -- up to a maximum of $500 each year and a lifetime total of $7,200 per child.

While nobody can predict what the future holds, technology is unquestionably where some of the biggest career opportunities will be found. And though we may not know what kind of jobs will be available decades from now, an RESP can help set women up for success for anything the future holds.

Canadian Scholarship Trust Plans are only sold by Prospectus. Investors should read the Prospectus before making an investment decision because it includes important detailed information.