In its effort to create an equitable, inclusive and equal world for women in workplaces, the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) in association with KTECH, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation, Government of Karnataka launched Women@Work (WOW) Program. This event was launched in the presence of Smt. Kiran Majumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon along with Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N., Hon. Minister of Higher Education; Minister of Electronics, ITBT and S&T and Skill Development, Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS – Additional Chief Secretary to Government and Dept of Electronics, ITBT, and S&T, Shri. Sanjeev Gupta, Shri. Ashwin D Gowda, MD, KSDC, Shri. Dr. S. Selvakumar I.A.S., Secretary to Government and Dept of Skill Development, Ms. Supria Dhanda, Social Entrepreneur, Ex- Country Manager, Western Digital, Ramkumar Narayanan, VP Technology & Managing Director VMware, Thirumala Arohi Mamunooru, Senior Vice President and Head – Education, Training & Assessments Infosys among others.
Despite an increase in India’s job opportunities, several Indian women have quit working prompting the nation to critically review its gender diversity policies. Given the slow pace of the economy post the pandemic, while women’s education has risen, its labour-force participation has fallen significantly, indicating that three out of every four Indian women are neither working nor looking for a paid job. This places India among the world’s ten lowest countries in terms of female labour participation. Karnataka has taken the initiative to understand the reasons for the low representation of women in the workforce and recognises the value of this representation required to develop the nation’s economy. The W@W Program will act as an enabler for women to actively participate and join the workforce through industry upskilling and reskilling programs, mentorship, institutional and organisational networking, and amplifying the efforts of corporate programs on attracting women workforce among others
Congratulating the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission’s initiative in recognising the relevance and need to bring women back to work, Smt. Kiran Majumdar-Shaw said, “KDEM’s W@W Program augurs well with the vision of creating leadership roles for women to contribute to the nation’s digital and economic growth. The pandemic taught us that a hybrid, work-from-home model can be created successfully for women to play a dual role in building homes and a successful career. What is needed now is to motivate women to reskill, upskill and apply their STEM knowledge in a formidable career. It is important for organisations to build an inclusive, diverse and equitable culture that nurtures and respects women workforce for their expertise and domain knowledge. Women can contribute significantly to leadership roles, as seen in our organisation and in the fields of technology, manufacturing, etc, and work towards strengthening the nation’s economy.”
Addressing the event on the importance of women in the workforce, Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N., Hon. Minister of Higher Education; Minister of Electronics, ITBT, and S&T and Skill Development said, “The disruption in the industry thanks to digitalisation gives women the opportunity to use the hybrid model of work and reshape their careers. Business leaders also hold the power to improve gender representation and create gender-balanced leadership. Upskilling and reskilling will play an imperative role in changing the existing scenario and ensuring this balance. KDEM’s W@W Program will definitely act as an enabler for women to get back at work with industry-led skilling, guidance, and training. I am very happy for this equitable platform that recognises the importance of women in the workforce and ensuring they contribute to the nation’s progress.”
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ramana Reddy, ACS, to Government and Dept of Electronics, ITBT and S&T said, “While gender diversity has become an important issue for organisations in India, there was always a question of how to get women who have taken a career break, back to work. We believe that sustainable progress is possible only through women’s economic empowerment. The pandemic presented us with a unique opportunity of witnessing the role technology played in changing the way we look at doing business. We already have a talented and motivated women-force who can be groomed to take up important leadership positions and change the face of the Indian economy with their talent. All they need is a platform that provides them with an opportunity to rebuild their skills.”
Sanjeev Gupta, KDEM also shared an outline of the objectives and vision of the Women@Work Platform and the significant role it will play in ensuring women can balance both, a strong career and their homes. He further added, “The Indian government has already introduced policies and regulatory framework to increase women workforce in various professions. What they lack is the easy availability of upskilling. W@W aims at bridging the skill development gap for women through targeted activities and interactions with industry leaders. Karnataka Digital Economy Mission will amplify the efforts of corporate programs on attracting women workforce and build an inclusive women workforce and kickstart their second phase of career for a stronger tomorrow.”
Ascertaining the role that women play in building a successful organisation, VMware India was the first to participate in the W@W Initiative through Project TAARA – an inclusivity program supported by Women Who Code to help women in India return to a career in technology. Through this program and support from the KDEM, VMware will upskill 15000 women in India and uplift their careers for growth and impact. The program will offer free technical education and certification courses on digital business transformation technologies.
A McKinsey World Institute Report noted that India had a small 25% female workforce in 2018. It also highlighted that the country’s GDP could be boosted by providing equal opportunities to women. Businesses are now recognising the need to create more diverse, inclusive, and fair prospects for women as they are known to be self-driven, innovative, and committed. This Women’s Day, the KDEM aims to honour and respect this dedication through the W@W platform.
