KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme #PressforProgress, Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) has launched the inaugural Career Comeback ReIGNITE Award to recognise Malaysian employers raising the bar in suppor women returning to the workforce after a career break.
The award, i n collaboration with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), is also in support of the Govenment’s announcement that 2018 is the Year of Women Empowerment.
The inaugural Career Comeback ReIGNITE Award was presented to five companies: Maybank Group, Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd, Keysight Technologies, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Bhd, and PwC Malaysia.
“Women are an integral force for social and economic progress in Malaysia. We are pleased to recognise Malaysian employers who have not only invested substantially in championing work-life policies and practices, but have also demonstrated openness in their women recruitment policy by providing career opportunities for women who have been on career breaks,”TalentCorp’s chief executive officer Shareen Shariza Abdul Ghani said in a statement.
While women represent about half the nation’s population and 62 per cent of public university enrolment , this has not translated into improving women’s participation rates in the workforce, the statement said.
It said these women have the potential to increase the gross domestic product in Malaysia by RM6 billion to RM9 billion.
The Government has also targeted at least 30 per cent participation of women as directors in GLCs, GLICs and statutory bodies by the end of this year.
As a result, it is crucial to continue attracting, nurturing and retaining skilled women talent in the country, the statement added.
TalentCorp’s key initiatives include the Career Comeback Programme, which was launched in 2015 to facilitate and increase career opportunities for women returnees.
To date, the programme has helped over 600 women returning from career breaks to find professional opportunities in various sectors.
TalentCorp has also worked with leading employers since 2013 on attracting and retaining the best talent (women included) through the implementation of work-life practices and other support practices.
“We must join efforts to shoulder the responsibility to support the national agenda on women empowerment,” Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said at the award ceremony.