#FollowBackToWorkConnect
This week we are delighted to introduce Gina Oglesby, Founder & Director of
Back To Work Connect, an education and employment career hub design to get Returners back to work, connect employers with this high calibre talent pool and promote companies who are open to age and gender diversity in their workforce.
Back To Work Connect is a career platform designed to connect stay at home parents and career changers to the training/education, supports and relevant job opportunities they need to re-enter the workforce in a meaningful and financially viable manner. Back To Work Connect understand there are many obstacles and challenges faced by stay at home parents who would like to return to work and our mission is to provide the supports and information to enable to take the next steps.
How would you describe yourself in 6 words or less?
Always looking for something new to do
What prompted you to start your business?
I was looking for a change of direction after I closed down the bakery and couldn’t find a job. I knew that if I was having difficulties finding a job with over 20 years’ experience, people who had taken a career break were going to find it event more difficult.
Can you tell us a bit more about you?
Started out as a materials buyer in the construction industry. Took voluntary redundancy when I had my first baby. Open my first business when my second baby was 9 months old. Ran the bakery for 8 years, winning the Wedding Cake Designer of the year award in 2013. I went back into construction as a purchasing manager, left 18 months later because nothing had changed in the industry in the 10 years I was away (and I left it the first time for a reason). I went back to UCD to the Innovation Academy to study Innovation and Entrepreneurship and as part of that course Back To Work Connect was born. I’ve since taken part in the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Academy program, New Frontiers Phase 1 & 2 and now Rethink Ireland’s Social Enterprise Development Fund.
Fill us in on your female founder journey and what would you like to share with the AwakenHub community?
I need to remind myself every day, that I am only one person and to not be so hard on myself when I feel I’m not where I should be. I launched the Back to Work Connect platform in Feb 2020 after 12 months of planning and developing the platform and creating a board of directors. Three weeks later the world came to a stand still because of Covid. Being able to reassess quickly and adjust to a very different first year to what was planned was a huge challenge.
Have you an ‘ask’ which we can share with fellow #Awakenhubbers?
If you are on social media and you see a female lead business instead of flicking past their post, like it or even better comment on it because behind it, is a person doing their best to build a business 😊
What six words do you live by as a founder?
If you’re going to do something, do it right and give it your all.
