Two Auckland businesswomen have identified gap in the market in terms of assistance for women wanting to return to the workforce after career break.
The brainchild of PR practitioner Sarah Paykel and Kate Ross, owner of recruitment company Kinetic, return2work offers part-time week-long courses aimed at rebuilding confidence and getting up to speed with the current employment market. Deliberately designed to mimic being in part-time work, the course content covers reintroduction to the market – salaries, sectors, where to find jobs. Psychometric testing is used to reveal each woman’s strengths, while career coaching is available to help clarify whether revived, or new, career, is the best way forward. There’s interview practice, CV development and even grooming advice through Max and Bobby Brown.
Paykel and Ross, both working mothers who met through childcare committee, believe their service will not only help women but will be valuable to employers in the current tight labour market.
“I know so many women who have opted out of great careers to have kids and then haven’t gone back due to lack of confidence and believing they no longer have skills to offer,” says Paykel.
“As working mothers Kate and I really want to do something to support women back into careers and have developed course, which we believe will boost self-esteem, empower women and give them all the tools they need to get back into careers, whether they need to for financial purposes or they are wanting to use their skills for further stimulation in addition to being mum.”
Paykel and Ross hope to role the service out nationally in due course – and have been in touch with government about the possibility of attracting funding to do so.
For more information www.return2work.co.nz
