With new technological advancements, it is time to demystify opinion at the grassroots level that women cannot take up jobs in mechanical, oil and gas and energy sector, said Geetha Ramamoorthi, Managing Director, KBR India at the The Hindu’s Tamil Nadu Women’s Summit on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Ms. Geetha, while having a conversation with Suresh Seshadri, Business Editor, The Hindu on the topic ‘Driving Change: Role of Women in Transforming Tamil Nadu’s Economy’ said, “Life is about taking conscious and calculated risks. Women are looking for people who can inspire them. The fact that women themselves have self-doubt and they want to tick all the boxes. Most often women don’t apply for roles that they feel that they should perfectly meet.
“We have a lot of work to do in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” said Ms. Geetha who also shared her company’s practice in creating groups to address challenges faced by women. “We are consciously creating employee resource groups that talk about the challenges faced by women in the workforce and constantly put them through women development programmes. I have personally seen transformation among women after going through such training programmes, even some are taking global roles.”
The idea that women cannot take up roles in mechanical, energy and oil and gas companies due to harsh working conditions should be demystified. It should be addressed at the grassroot level by like-minded organisations reaching out to school students about new technological advancements and innovations in the engineering sector.
She also lauded representation of women in the workforce in Tamil Nadu. He said between elementary education and higher education, there is a drop in enrolment, which needs attention. She said establishment of working women’s hostels in cities to facilitate women who come from tier-II towns is a step in the right direction.
There is a general societal pressure among certain segments of the society that girls who aspire to have a career are being suppressed. “We need to address this by engaging with parents through non-governmental organisations and public-private partnerships who are committed to unlocking the potential of women,” she said.
The summit is powered by Naga Foods in association with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, KBR India and Indian Bank. Prestige, VFS Global, KPL, Port of Chennai and United India Insurance are the associate partners. Other partners include, Grundfos (sustainability partner); Apollo Pro Health ( Healthcare Partner) Chennai Metro Rail (mobility); Nippon Paint (colour); ITC Mangaldeep (fragrance); Confederation of Indian Industry & CII Indian Women Network (industry); CREDAI Chennai (real estate industry); and Puthiyathalaimurai TV (television partner).
Published - July 30, 2024 05:42 pm IST
