Cheryl Dill comes by her leadership skills and work ethic quite naturally.
Dill, who doubles as the executive director at the Central Vancouver Island Job Opportunities Building Society (Career Centre) and president of the Parksville Beach Festival Society, says she had some fine role models growing up.
Dill came to Parksville from Nova Scotia in 1998 and purchased a home in 2000 to “set down some roots in such a beautiful area of the world”.
She cited her mother and older sister as tremendous examples when she was young, helping to create beneficial lifelong habits.
“I would say I had a really strong mother who really had a strong work ethic and was really goal-oriented,” said Dill. “She wanted to ensure her children were well-educated and completed your goals doing your best.”
Dill also noted she had plenty of support from the others in her family especially her oldest sister.
“She was a teacher and 12 years older, so I received a lot of guidance.”
Many of those lessons learned are ones Dill is able to pass on to clients at the career centre.
“Lessons I would pass on would include setting goals and identifying what steps are important in achieving those goals,” she said. “And really focusing on effort and using the resources available to you to reach your goals.”
At the centre, a team of close to 20 works with clients to help reduce barriers to achieving their goals and the core values she learned as a youngster remain helpful today.
Dill noted she believes changes have been positive for women in the workforce since she began.
“In the last year or so employers have to post wages,” she said. “This is a positive thing for sharing regardless of gender and we hope it leads to better pay equity.”
Work ethic and lifelong learning are also crucial.
“I had a paper route from the age of 10 throughout high school,” said Dill. “I just always saved. It’s important to live the way you can afford. And lifelong learning brings us joy.”
She said her work with the beach festival society is also extremely rewarding.
“I get to engage with so many people with different skills and abilities,” she explained. “We are always looking forward rather than backward.”
The popular event hosted by the society will soon be relocated to a section of the kite field in Parksville Community Park, next to the beach volleyball courts. Dill anticipates a strong influx of visitors from within Canada this season amid controversy regarding potential tariffs from the U.S.
“It should be an exciting year,” she said.
Dill said the Parksville Qualicum Beach area features a strong group of women who are true leaders.
“A lot of us who work in the not-for-profit field share best practices,” she said. “There are some great female leaders and it’s important to take a look at bigger pictures where we can collaborate. And they’re not out their tooting their own horns. Just out there working and looking to make a difference; looking to connect with meaningful work. I appreciate that because it checks a lot of personal values.”
