Participants from the Fall 2008 Career Workshop for Women. From left to right: Mary Ann Euillemin, Helene Stavis (leader), Carol Rabuck, and Donna Wilson. (Photo courtesy of the Career and Counseling Center)

“Being a mother is the most important and rewarding job anyone could ever have,” said Kimberlee Croiger, 36, a mother of three. “Your kids are only young once and I wanted to enjoy every minute of it.”

Now, nine years after having her first child, as Croiger considers resuming her career as a social worker, she wonders if she will be able to pick up where she left off.

Croiger is not alone. A study conducted by the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change found that the most common reason women put their careers on hold is to care for children and enhance the quality of their lives.

More key findings of this study showed that women stay out of the workplace longer than they anticipated. When they first leave work, they feel energized and positive, yet when they attempt to return, they find the experience negative and depressing. Likewise, women who re-enter the workforce often join smaller companies and are changing industries as well as functional roles.

Furthermore, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor, many women wishing to return to the workplace demonstrate a lack of confidence, outdated skill sets, a lack of a network to assist in finding suitable positions, concerns with explaining gaps in their resume, fear of surrendering personal control and resistance to accepting a position with less compensation and responsibility relative to their last paid position.

For women like Croiger, Delaware County Community College is offering a 10-week workshop called Career Directions for Women. The program, which will run Feb. 24 to May 5, was created for women who are considering major life transitions such as re-entering the workplace after a significant amount of time, changing careers or going back to school. The workshop is designed to help women gain focus and direction by assessing current skills, interests and values.

Helene Stavis, a counselor at DCCC’s Career and Counseling Center, has been leading the workshop for more than eight years.

“I stayed home for 14 years to raise my kids,” Stavis said. “I understand exactly what some of these women are going through.”

According to Stavis, the majority of women who enroll in the program are those who have put their lives on hold to raise their children and have a desire to return to work.

“The average age of women who participate in the workshop is around mid-forties,” Stavis said.

“They want to explore occupational options, learn how to find a job and decide if they should obtain more education.”

Stavis said the first portion of the program is dedicated to self assessment. During this time, participants will assess their skills, interests, values, motivators, personal traits, preferred work environments and realties and commitments.

“You would be amazed how much women underestimate themselves,” Stavis said.

The next part of the program involves putting together a personal summary profile. This profile is based upon what each participant has learned about herself through the self assessment and helps generate a list of possible occupations.

Participants are encouraged to give each other feedback or suggestions after reading their personal summary profiles out loud in a group setting. Stavis believes this in one of the most important exercises performed throughout the workshop because it helps with communication and social skills.

The last part of the workshop involves building resumes, practicing interview skills and putting together plans of action which will allow each woman to break down her career goal into manageable steps.

“I tell women that just because they have completed this 10-week course it does not guarantee that they will get the job of their dreams,” Stavis said. “Being realistic keeps you grounded and on the right path to eventually getting what you want.”

Croiger always assumed she would be able to resume her career whenever she wanted.

“No matter how tough it is out there, I would still trade my career for my family any day,” she said. “But the thought of returning to work does scare me and reaching out for help couldn’t really hurt.”

Career Directions for Women is being offered at Main Campus on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. beginning Feb. 24. The workshop is limited to 16 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cost is $99 for residents of school districts that sponsor DCCC and $148 for others. Register by calling 610-359-5025.