Girls and women boarded a hovercraft and a Zodiac in Richmond, B.C., on Saturday as part of event to entice more women to join the Canadian Coast Guard.

The event was part of an effort by the Achieve Anything Foundation, which encourages women to go into a career in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

"There's just so few women in all these fields," said Kirsten Brazier, the organization's president.

According to Statistics Canada, less than 10 per cent of the Coast Guard's crews and officers are women. (David Horemans/CBC)

"These girls and women don't have someone in their network to share experiences and inspire them to join that industry, so we are creating that network of experience."

Brazier said the Coast Guard's rescue operations in particular offer a broad variety of interesting technical careers. But she added that, like many search and rescue operations, there are few women involved and at the helm.

Of the 20-person crew the participants worked with on Saturday, only three were women. Statistics from 2008 show that only about seven per cent of the Coast Guard's crews and officers are women.

'I can be the same'

But that didn't seem to deter the sea-bound participants on Saturday.

"Seeing the training, being brave enough to go into the water — that's, like, super heroic and hopefully I can be the same," said Tiarra-Lynn Ogrodnick, a high school student.

The event included a tour of base duty operations, an interactive search and rescue exercise, and a ride aboard the hovercraft and Zodiac rescue craft.

"I think we need more girls in fields like this," said Tamie Dale, another one of the day's participants.

"You can do anything, which is really a message I think that girls are getting more of now."

That's the attitude Brazier is happy to hear from participants. Herself a veteran professional pilot with 25 years of flying under her belt, Brazier believes that STEM jobs offer interesting jobs for all genders.

"When I look back at the interesting experiences that I had and the leadership skills that I built, it's really a big shame that people are not exposed to that and don't have that as an option in their Rolodex of career choices," she said.

The foundation regularly holds events like Saturday's as part of its This is You program. The next one will be on May 12 with Vancouver Fire and Rescue.

With files from Angela Sterritt