Learning new subjects is something that accompanies us every day. Professionally, this is especially necessary after Covid-19 has significantly accelerated digitalization and New Work in recent months. But lifelong learning is also important for our own personal development, so that we can face changes and new challenges in a relaxed manner.
Home offices, web meetings and packed calendars characterize our everyday working lives. Those who keep their eye on the ball and work on their skills are in greater demand than ever before. Upskilling is the magic formula and fundamental part of our corporate culture. In a pilot project with our partner Femtec Alumnae, we therefore put together an exclusive, virtual upskilling program that fits the needs of the heterogeneous target group of partly "full-time working moms" and can be used in a flexible way.
In dialogue with the target group, the skillset was quickly determined: artificial intelligence, leadership and agile working are not just trendy topics, but immediately applicable know-how. In virtual evening sessions twice a week, the 60 young female IT experts received insights and deep dives from Telekom experts and external leadership coaches. The focus was on knowledge exchange, i.e. valuable discussion rounds in addition to pure knowledge transfer. To enable all participants to enjoy the upskilling program in a packed work week, most of the virtual sessions were recorded and could be listened afterwards individually.
But how did team spirit arise – after all, only some participants knew each other in person before the program started?
Nathalie Haußmann, who helped shape the program last year as a board member of Femtec.Alumnae e.V., was fascinated by how "wonderfully and continuously the spirit of learning together developed. At our virtual kick off, each of us was still sitting there from back home with a cocktail, but through the wrap up sessions, open discussions and bilateral chats, each name has become a face that is passionate about certain topic and that I will associate with it from now on. Of course, we don't know each other as we would at a face-to-face meeting, but the topics and learning experiences connect us as much as the openness and willingness to move things forward through our Femtec Alumnae network."
As a special candy, just before Christmas and at the end of the program, there were joint Mindfulness hours with yoga exercises and accupressure. Unimaginable before the pandemic, but in the meantime this is a welcome change in the digital daily routine.
As a grand finale - and unfortunately this event also had to take place virtually due to the pandemic - Claudia Nemat, Board Member for Technology & Innovation, thanked the young STEM women for sharing their experiences. She follows the Femtec activities with great interest and promotes women in STEM subjects and professions. In addition to the certificates, a special highlight followed with the keynote speech by Nicola Winter. With her extraordinary career as a fighter jet pilot, she captivated the audience, so that first-hand learning experiences, combined with the topic of "goal-oriented multitasking" impressively concluded the upskilling program.
For me as project lead, this was a learning journey par excellence - the setting tailored to the target group of women and there was something for everyone during the sessions to get inspired for future challenges. I look forward to seeing the journey continue one day. Until then, all the best and good luck!
Femtec.Alumnae e.V. is the network for highly qualified, technology-loving and committed women with an academic background in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The association was founded on August 30, 2008 by Alumnae of the Career-Building Program of the Femtec GmbH and has almost 900 members in 2021.
Telekom is cooperation partner of the Femtec Career-Building Program and supports the network in numerous activities.
