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About the project
The Returning Women Engineers Program was conceived with a clear mission of empowering women who have stepped away from their engineering careers to re-enter the workforce with renewed confidence, advanced skills, and strong professional networks. Through a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, the program is offering technical upskilling, soft skills enhancement, personalized mentorship, and corporate networking opportunities. The program effectively supports women as they navigate the challenges of returning to work after a career break.
The RWEP funded by Quest Global, along with IEEE India Philanthropy, spanning Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra has positively impacted the lives of women, providing them with the resources to navigate various life challenges and career breaks.
Impact in Numbers - Real Lives, Real Change
We are excited !
For the 2025-2026 year, registrations are already in progress, and we encourage every woman looking to restart their career to take advantage of this transformative opportunity.
Access the brochure to register
Our Stories of Impact
“Breaking Barriers, Rebuilding Dreams: Sonia’s Comeback to Engineering Through RWEP.”
Sonia Varshney had a promising career in engineering before she took a long break of nine years for personal reasons. After the break she was eager to restart her career and took up a role as a sales lead executive. She worked in this position for around one and a half years. Though she was back to work, she felt unhappy and unfulfilled. Sales was not her area of interest, and she was looking for an engineering job. She did not know where to begin. One day she saw a WhatsApp status from a friend and learnt about the Returning Women Engineers Programme (RWEP) 2024-25 funded by Quest Global facilitated by IEEE India Philanthropy. Without hesitation Sonia enrolled in the program. The program was specially designed to support returning women engineers who wanted to return to technical roles after a break.
The RWEP provided her with expert-led sessions spread across various topics that helped her tackle technical doubts and interview preparations. The access to paid courses in current engineering trends is what she is grateful for, as it enhanced her technical skills. The continuous guidance and support helped her regain confidence, update her soft skills, and prepare for re-entry into the engineering industry. She feels well prepared to face interviews. Most importantly, she feels ready to return to the field she loved.
Sonia is grateful to Quest Global and IEEE India Philanthropy and everyone involved. She says the support she received has been instrumental in helping her successfully launch her professional engineering journey.
“Rukmani Devi, i Explore Foundation”
After taking a carrier break, Rukmani was eager to return to the workforce but faced challenges in finding the right opportunity. That is when she became a part of the Returning Women Engineering Program, a remarkable initiative by Quest Global facilitated by IEEE India Philanthropy. This program is specifically designed to empower women professionals who have taken a carrier break and are eager to rejoin the workforce.
From skill development to industry relevant courses to a nurturing environment and outstanding mentorship- it was a great experience. The guidance from dedicated mentors truly made a difference. The training not only sharpened her skills but also reignited her confidence. The financial support for upskilling through certified technical courses is what she is grateful for. As per her what stood out the most was the support from the RWEP team, their belief in her potential and encouragement helped her the most. She has now successfully secured a role as an Operations Officer at i Explore Foundation.
She is grateful for Quest Global and IEEE India Philanthropy and the people involved for this life changing event. She truly admires the entire program and feels that their support truly empowers women like her to dream.
“Coding Her Comeback: Yasmeen’s Journey Through IEEE’s Support”
Re-entering the technology industry after a significant career break posed several obstacles for Yasmeen. These included staying current with emerging technologies, understanding new tools and methodologies, and rebuilding the professional confidence to navigate a fast-evolving field. She also faced the uncertainty of how to re-establish her professional identity in an environment that was now much more competitive and technically demanding than before.
Once she got to know about the IEEE Returning Women Engineer Program funded by Quest Global and facilitated by IEEE Philanthropy she did not think much but just registered, The Returning Women Engineer Program proved to be a transformative experience for Yasmeen. The combination of technical upskilling, mentorship, and a supportive community helped her overcome the hurdles of re-entering the workforce after a career break. As per her, “One of the most impactful aspects of the program was the corporate counselling support, which rebuilt my professional mindset and prepared me for real-world challenges. They provided a clear roadmap—not just to upskill technically, but also to navigate the return-to-work journey with clarity and confidence.”
Today, she is proud to have rejoined the workforce as a technology professional, and she attributes this achievement to the structured support and vision behind this initiative. The Returning Women Engineer Program not only facilitated her smooth transition back into the industry but also reaffirmed the immense value and potential of women returning to technical careers.
“Hema, Placed at JPMC, Bengaluru”
I am extremely delighted to share that I have accepted a role as Senior Associate with JPMC, Bengaluru, starting August 2025, after completing a 3-month internship through their ReEntry program.
The journey from taking a career break to spending over two years re-learning and re-wiring my skills has been deeply rewarding. To finally see these efforts bear fruit fills me with gratitude and contentment as I begin this new phase of my professional life—one that I intend to cherish, nurture, and sustain.
I also owe this achievement to the IEEE team (Ashoka, Grishma, Josheen, and Upasana) and the soft skills training team (Lakshmi, Vinaya, and Jutika), who provided me with a platform to fine-tune my mindset and approach during my job search.
A special mention to Ramalatha Marimuthu ma’am, whose vision and relentless efforts in conceptualising and implementing the first-ever Return to Work conference in India gave returning mothers like me a much-needed platform to congregate, share our passion, and draw strength from each other.
To my friends who are preparing to restart: have hope, be kind to yourself and others, trust your abilities, prepare, network, and don’t be afraid to fail. Most importantly, avoid comparisons—true progress means being better than who you were yesterday.
