VMware’s VMinclusion Taara Revived my Career after three years of an extended career break
In India, women are predominantly the primary caregivers in most households. However, the time spent out of the workforce for caregiving significantly impacts a woman’s career, finances, and confidence. It deprives them of employment opportunities, facing more bias. Archana Panchal took a career break of 3 years to care for her mother. While the gap impacted her career, VMinclusion Taara’s upskilling program helped her bounce back.
Most working women in India need to take a career break for some reason, especially to attend to personal commitments. While career breaks are a reality and part of life, many recruiters are still biased against women taking career breaks. The stigmatization around career breaks puts many women in a dilemma as returning to the industry after a gap can dent a woman’s career.
There is immense pressure to stay ahead and updated on new technology skills in a fast-paced, technology-driven world. But a career break not only dampens a woman’s confidence but wreaks havoc in many aspects of her career. While the industry changes its perception towards second career women, gender parity has a long way to go. Here’s why I chose VMinclusion Taara to kickstart my career after a gap of three years!
I started my career in the technology sector as a junior developer. Over the years, I gathered experience and skills and worked across different roles like senior developer, application lead, consultant. I loved a job, as it opened new avenues for me; it enabled me to work in different countries and work in different environments and teams. Unfortunately, a few years back, my mother fell ill and required medical treatment and surgeries. I wanted to be there for my mother and support her in every possible way. The only option available was to quit my job and focus on my mother’s health. Being the primary caregiver for my mother was a big responsibility and one that I had to take on.
After three years, I wanted to get back to the workforce and become financially independent again. My skepticism to return to the industry met with unanswered puzzling questions. How would I get back to work? How will I convince recruiters to take my experience and skills into account? I wanted to restart my career, prepare for job interviews, and apply to several job portals. But each passing day, I felt disappointed because my job search wasn’t going anywhere.
Around this time, I learned about VMware’s return to work program ‘VMinclusion Taara’. Finally, a program to help women like me restart their careers confidently. I researched more about the initiative and understood that the courses offered by VMinclusion Taara were in-demand and self-paced. I could study at my convenience. After enrolling in the program, the course upskilled me in advanced digital technologies. Still, it also helped me network with industry experts and other women looking to restart their careers or who had successfully done so. The mentorship and career guidance I received from Taara helped me boost my confidence. I now work with a multinational firm, and I credit VMinclusion Taara for helping me get back into the workforce. The generous support, guidance, and predominantly the advanced digital technologies which Taara offers kickstarted my career.
