3 days ago

AI Could Help Women Return to Work With Skills

Many women pause their careers to care for their families.

Returning to work can then be difficult because tools and workplace practices may have changed.

The article says artificial intelligence could act like a personal tutor during this break.

It could help women learn new technology, practise work tasks and refresh old skills.

Special returnship programmes could use tests to understand what each person already knows.

These programmes could then provide lessons, projects, mentors and workplace practice.

AI could also help women start or manage small businesses.

The goal is to make a career break a temporary pause instead of a permanent setback.

This could help women return with more confidence and useful skills.

Key facts

Women’s labour-force participation: 45.9% in rural India and 27.7% in urban India among women aged 15 and above, according to the 2025 PLFS annual report.
PMKVY 4.0 training: Around 20,000 women had been trained or oriented in AI-related job roles by December 2025.
Skilling for AI Readiness: The programme recorded more than five lakh enrolments and over one lakh certifications by August 2026.
Suggested returnship length: Three- or six-month programmes could combine refreshers, AI fluency, projects, mentoring and workplace exposure.
Women-owned MSMEs: The MSME ministry estimates about 1.24 crore women-owned proprietary MSMEs in India.
MSME share: Women-owned proprietary MSMEs account for more than 20% of all proprietary MSMEs, according to the article.

financialexpress.com · 3 days ago