Women in India want to re-skill themselves before getting back to work after a break, says a survey.
The survey was done by JobsForHer, an online platform connecting women to jobs, in partnership with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s SP Jain Institute Of Management And Research, one of India’s finest B-schools. It was done to assess the need for reskilling options for women on a career break who want to update their skills before going back to work.
The survey had two questions: Which path would they prefer to take to get back to work? What is their reason for choosing to reskill?
The first question received an overwhelming response from women candidates, with 39.3% of women saying that they choose to upgrade their skills first. A similar option of speaking to career counselors was chosen by 30.6% women. The other two options – asking friends for recommendations and applying to former organisations – were chosen by only 14.9% and 15.2% of women, respectively.
The second poll question – ‘What is their reason for taking up reskilling?’ – also received a massive response from women candidates. Among the respondents, 40% said they would take up reskilling courses to increase their chances of getting a job. Another 30% said they would choose this option to bridge the gap in their skills after a career break. The reason of staying up-to-date in the industry garnered only 20% of responses, while that of showcasing new skills on their resumes received only 10% of responses.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Neha Bagaria, CEO & Founder of JobsForHer, said, “Learning and development is a strategic step that working professionals need for evolving career requirements and gives a person a competitive advantage against peers. And this is especially important for women on a career break. Today, the percentage of women in corporate India is at 30% at the entry-level, 10% at the mid-level, and 1% at the CXO-level. Women who are waiting to re-enter the workforce need the right courses that can bridge the gap in their skills and those required by the industry. With specialised reskilling options, like the courses offered by SPJIMR, women can now be sure they get up-to-date skills and apply for jobs with confidence.”
