VMware’s VMinclusion Taara relaunched my career after a break of five years
After a long career break, many women are overwhelmed by the prospect of looking for a job. Things seem to become more challenging when there are two or more career breaks. Meet Preeti Thankachan, who found herself in a similar situation. But her zeal towards restarting her career overpowered her fear. VMware’s return to work program, ‘VMinclusion Taara’ helped her drive meaningful career outcomes through upskilling.
Many women in India drop out of the corporate workforce due to personal commitments or responsibilities like raising children, caring for elderly family members, and other reasons. And after being away from the industry, recruiters hardly understand their trajectory when they decide to return to work and look down on their gap years. Sadly, these career breaks get labeled as red flags.
A new study by booking.com on ‘The perceptions of women working in non-tech roles within the technology industry’ suggests that India’s women in tech feel a career break negatively impacts their career progression and the organizations should take initiatives to support their come back in the tech industry.[1]
I started as a test analyst with a reputed multinational firm right after graduation. After working for about five years, I had to take an extended maternity break. I loved being home with my baby, but after the first two years, I started missing my colleagues and the hustle-bustle of a full-time job. Luckily, I could secure a full-time position with a multinational organization soon. But after working there for more than three years, I had to take another break as my husband’s job required him to move to Mumbai. He had to travel frequently, so I decided to stay home and look after our daughter.
I have been out of the workforce for over five years now, and I had adjusted to my life as a homemaker or so I thought. But during the outbreak of the pandemic, I saw many people including my husband working full time from home. It made me realize that official tasks could be done just as effectively, if not more so, from the home as well. The thought of being financially independent and the image of the old me who was a driven professional combined with the, the idea of flexible and remote work meant that women like me did not have to give up their careers to balance their personal lives.
A recent study revealed that the percentage of women returning to work after maternity has shot up to 80%. It also states that the overall retention rate of female employees, post-marriage, has improved by 50%. This is heartening and very encouraging. I reconnected with friends and asked them if they could help me get back to the workforce and one of them suggested VMware’s upskilling and reskilling program called VMinclusion Taara to me.
After checking details from VMware’s website, I got myself enrolled in the upskilling program without any delay. The program was online, so I was able to learn at my own pace. The sessions provided a roadmap to my overall professional development by updating me with the latest industry trends and essential skills. The skill training helped me in understanding the fundamentals /building blocks for the cloud ecosystem. We also get an opportunity to interact and connect with other women learners through engaging webinars. So, the learning ecosystem became highly inclusive as we shared our experiences. This also enhanced my confidence significantly. I completed Level 3 of the program and received the VCP- CMA certification. Today, I am placed in a well-established tech company where my profile is linked to the automation of tools that assist clients in handling cloud ecosystems. The third phase of my career has taken off, thanks to VMinclusion Taara/. To all those women chasing their dreams, a program like VMinclusion Taaa can not only upskill you in digital technology skills but also uplift your career.
