Returnships

Today, while reading some articles in an e-newsletter I receive, I came across this article from Forbes titled "Sara Lee Launches Internships for Would-Be Returnees". The article talks about "Returnships", which are internships offered to people returning to the workforce after leaving to spend more time with their families. The article indicates that the program is not limited to women, but the general context seems to indicate that they expect a number of moms, who made the choice to stay home with their young children and are now ready to reenter the workforce, to make up the majority of the applicant pool. The opportunities are expected in marketing, accounting, sales, finance and the legal department.

As a working mom, this sounds like a great opportunity. I wasn't in a position to stay home when my children were born. I do have a number of friends who were fortunate enough to be in a position to leave their jobs (or reduce their schedule to part-time) to raise their families. Many of them have said that they would like to return to the workforce full-time when their children are older. A program like this, which based on information in the article, doesn't always guarantee a full-time job, does at least give those wanting to return a chance to polish up their skills and refresh their resume.