I’ve been joining some dots!
Did you know that administration is the largest employer of women globally, with approximately half a billion women working in this profession? It’s a field that is 98% female.
Did you also know that I am a Director of a small foundation in South Africa called Isipho Admin (Isipho means The Gift)? This foundation works with young people in need of an opportunity, training them to become administrative professionals and helping them find employment. It is one of the projects I am most proud to be involved in.
Over the past three years, I have collaborated extensively with HR departments and leadership teams worldwide, helping them restructure their administrative functions using the Global Skills Matrix from the WA-Alliance. Time and again, I have noticed that companies don’t have a provision for employees at Level One – entry-level or return-to-work positions for administrative professionals.
Because of my involvement with Isipho, it became apparent to me early on, that administration is one of the few careers where a woman can start at the bottom, with no qualifications, and through hard work, grow her role into a career. This makes it a wonderful path for women who lack the opportunities some of us take for granted.
I began suggesting to businesses I work with that they consider committing to employing a certain number of Level One assistants each year as part of their CSR programs. These positions would be offered to women from disadvantaged backgrounds in need of an opportunity.
To date, nine companies have committed to employing at least one Level One assistant per year, with one company committing to hiring ten women annually.
This initiative provides life-changing opportunities for the women employed in these programs and, in some cases, lifts entire families out of poverty.
Is there room at your organisation for a project like this? I’d love to see more companies offering local women the opportunity to become career assistants.
I encourage you to consider talking to your organisation about committing to employing Level One assistants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
What a wonderful opportunity to create a brighter future for these women and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable workforce.
Please let me know if you are interested in discussing how we can collaborate to make this vision a reality at your organisation.
