Skills, better jobs: Women look for career boost

Mumbai: As the pandemic continues to stretch on,  Most women (90 per cent of the  respondents) in India are looking  forward to gaining new skills to  advance in their current position  or move to a better job, according  to a survey.

Over 88 per cent of the women  surveyed in India want to improve  their skills and abilities to become  more employable as compared with  97 per cent in Brazil and 90 per cent  in Mexico, according to the Pearson Global Learner Survey 2021.

About 90 per cent of women  interviewed in India agreed that  there are new skills they need to  learn to advance in their current  job or move to a better job, it noted.

However, globally, 83 per cent  felt that the pandemic has made  them realise there are new skills  they need to develop, it added.

According to the survey, over a  third of women in the US (44 per  cent), Brazil (39 per cent) and the  UK (43 per cent) do not think they  can afford training they need for  new work opportunities.

Pearson’s Global Learner Survey was conducted by Morning  Consult from August 17-September  5, 2021, among 1,000 women each in  six countries the US, the UK, Brazil, India, Mexico and China.

The survey further showed that  89 per cent Indian women are overwhelmed trying to balance work  from home and taking care of the  family, while 81 per cent felt that  the pandemic has made them less  financially independent.

It said 68 per cent respondents  felt it will take more than 10 years  for women to recover from the  setback of the pandemic and 85  per cent agreed that the pandemic  pushed women further down.

‘Household responsibilities’  was cited as the biggest barrier to  skill development in the country  according to 27 per cent women interviewed for the survey.

Most of the respondents in India (84 per cent) looking for work  are concerned about a new job that  will allow them to continue with  their domestic responsibilities, it  revealed.

Meanwhile, the survey found  that in India, women are more  likely to network when looking for  work, while 18 per cent have also  explored educational options provided by their employer.

About 21 per cent women plan  to start their own business within  the next year, the survey added. -(AP)