“There Must Be a Better Way”
It’s not easy for working professionals to strike a balance between career and caregiving. For some, a time comes when the two can no longer coexist.
As a result, the pool of talent on the sidelines is enormous. There are tens of millions of people out of the paid workforce to provide care, and women are 12 times more likely to put their careers on hold for caregiving reasons. The pandemic further devastated workforce participation rates, forcing nearly three million caregivers to leave their jobs.
If you’ve paused your career to care for children, family, or others, it may be several years before you’re able to join the workforce again. How discouraging, then, to face the stigma around career gaps and the systemic barriers that make it difficult to restart a career.
In this inspiring video, more than 20 Path Forward alumni share their stories and describe the support they received when they took part in returnship programs that paved the way for them to return to work and contribute again as highly experienced, motivated, and skilled employees.
At Path Forward, we’re proud to support returners with education, job opportunities, and community. Looking ahead, we envision a world where caregiving is recognized and valued, does not disproportionately hinder women’s career progression or economic opportunity, and where everyone can achieve their personal and professional dreams. Our work has only just begun.