Kayathri Karuppasamy: A Story of Resilience and Reinvention

Kayathri Karuppasamy’s life took a sudden and unexpected turn when her husband passed away while they were living in the UK. Having left her job at HCLTech as a software engineer to start a new life with her husband in 2014, Kayathri found herself facing the challenges of job hunting in a new country.

After two years of searching, she finally landed a job, albeit not in her field of expertise. The role she found was basic, requiring her to validate licenses of products. Despite the deviation from her technical background, Kayathri embraced the opportunity as a chance to keep herself occupied and learn from her colleagues.

With the birth of her daughter a year into the job, Kayathri made the difficult decision to resign and focus on her new role as a mother. Tragedy struck again in 2019 when she had to return to India, alone and needing to provide for herself and her child.

Supported by her family, Kayathri decided to upskill herself in data science and Python by taking online and offline courses. Despite the challenges and doubts she faced, Kayathri persevered, determined to carve out a new path for herself.

Her search for a job in her previous role as a Mainframe developer proved to be challenging due to the niche skill set required. The career gap further added to her struggle, with interviewers questioning her hiatus from the industry.

At a crossroads, Kayathri came across Bounteous’ return-to-work program, a US-based digital experience consultancy that valued her technical skills and experience over her break from the workforce. The Covid-19 pandemic facilitated a smooth transition for Kayathri, allowing her to work remotely and eventually settle in Chennai with her daughter.

Embarking on a three-month training course with Bounteous, Kayathri honed her skills and integrated into a new project, leveraging her past experience and newfound knowledge. Her advice to other mothers looking to re-enter the workforce is simple yet powerful – believe in yourself and never compromise on your goals.

Kayathri’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the unwavering spirit of reinvention. Her story serves as an inspiration to all those facing career challenges and obstacles, showing that with perseverance and self-belief, any hurdle can be overcome.