Introduction
Breaks in one’s career are common. Professionals in all sectors take a break from their employment for a variety of reasons, including to further their education, travel, or just to spend more time with their families. But more often than not, issues related to life stages cause women to leave the workforce. They are forced to abandon their jobs in order to concentrate on their responsibilities as family caregivers due to a lack of support systems at both their place of employment and home.
With over two million women already employed, the Indian IT sector does admirably in terms of female involvement. Nonetheless, more work needs to be done, and the sector must prioritize retaining women. Returning women to the workforce after a career hiatus is crucial for increasing their participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers, closing the talent gap in the digital sector, and releasing vital innovation potential.
What exactly is a returnship program?
A returnship program is a short-term online digital marketing internship or training program created exclusively for those who have taken a career break and wish to get back into the workforce. These programs usually last several months and allow participants to upgrade their skills, get experience, and network with specialists in their area.
Returnship programs are a fantastic method to encourage talented women to re-enter the workforce in this direction. They are founded on the fundamental ideas that a career gap is not a barrier to advancement and that the organization recognizes and works to address the socio-cultural issues that women confront outside of the workplace. Beyond closing the skills gap, returnship programs create a true culture of equality by eradicating any prejudices, whether conscious or unconscious, that might stand in the way of diversity. For instance, when women are asked about their plans to “create a family” during job interviews and performance reviews, there are underlying biases at work.
How do returnship programs benefit women?
Anybody who has taken a career hiatus may find it intimidating to return to the workforce, but women who have taken time off to care for children or family members may find it particularly difficult. Returnship programs have been a crucial resource in recent years for assisting women in making the move back into the workforce. Women can upgrade their abilities, gain experience, and reestablish contact with their professional networks through these programs, which offer a systematic and encouraging means to do so.
Returnship programs are designed to assist women in overcoming the barriers that can make returning to work after a career hiatus challenging. These barriers can include a lack of confidence, out-of-date abilities, and a void in professional networks. Women can upgrade their skills and obtain new experiences in their field by enrolling in a returnship program. This can increase their self-esteem and make them more competitive in the job market. Participants in returnship programs can also network with other professionals in their area, which can lead to new career prospects. Employers gain from returnship programs as well since they provide a wide pool of brilliant applicants who are highly motivated and eager to re-enter the workforce.
Starting over after a significant career sabbatical might be intimidating for most people. As a result, returnship initiatives, like UDiGiMe’s internship/ Digital marketing training program, provides practical advice on getting back into the workforce as well as retraining or upgrading in one’s field to digital marketing. Mentorship from seasoned executives can boost trainees’ confidence and provide them with useful advice in addition to organized learning interventions. It is equally crucial to support these women in expanding their networks and give them access to employee resource groups or other comparable resources.
Conclusion
Returnship programs are a helpful tool for assisting women in re-entering the workforce following a professional gap. These programs offer women an organized and friendly environment in which they can refresh their skills, gain experience, and reconnect with professional networks. Women can overcome the barriers that sometimes make returning to work after a career hiatus difficult by participating in a returnship program, and companies benefit by obtaining access to a diverse pool of qualified candidates. Returnship programs will continue to play a key role in assisting women in achieving their career goals as more organizations acknowledge their significance.