“Madurai women ooze energy and commitment. They are raring to start their job - a picture unlike what is painted of tier two cities,” said Srimathi Shivashankar, Executive Vice-President, HCL Technologies, here on Saturday.
Speaking to The Hindu , she spoke about HCL’s new ‘iBelieve’ programme, a skill-development initiative for qualified women who are looking to start or restart their career. It is meant for those who took a long break from a successful IT career or those who did not find the right opportunity. “About 700 women appeared for the first round of selection for the programme. It shows women are open to immerse themselves in a diverse workspace,” she said.
According to a press note, the programme aims at empowering women - to believe in themselves through counselling sessions, extensive classroom training and diversity lead policies, and employing them at HCL for an upward trajectory. “The jobs will befit their roles. They are not just entry-level positions. There will be three levels of training based on duration of break from the field,” said Ms. Srimathi. The idea is to provide an avenue for women who have a calling to return to work, she added.
As part of the ‘iBelieve’ programme, special training would be held for women returning to work after maternity. They would have access to day care centres on the HCL office premises and a women’s network for consulting and coaching. The offspring would also have be inducted into schools through the HCL’s ‘School Next’ programme.
