The Ottawa-Carleton Pathmakers Program has been supported by:
- the University of Ottawa,
- Carleton University,
- Algonquin College,
- the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board,
- the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic District School Board,
- le Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Ontario,
- le Conseil des écoles Catholique des langues français, and
- WISE Ottawa.
The program was started in 1986. In 1997, Dr. Monique Frize, the NSERC/Nortel Joint Chair for Women in Science and Engineering in Ontario, began to co-ordinate the activities, the fund-raising and the promotion of the program.
The Pathmakers Program's objective is "Preparing Today for Tomorrow". The purpose of the program is to encourage young people, especially women, to pursue a career in science, technology, or engineering. The Pathmakers Program develops a communication bridge between the women presently involved in science, technology and engineering, and prospective students in elementary and secondary schools.
Pathmakers are female post-secondary students who are studying to pursue a career in science or engineering. Pathmakers are women who are able to communicate well with various age groups. They volunteer their time to go to classrooms to inform young students about future opportunities and to try and eliminate stereotypes of gender roles.