On May 28th 2018, the International School of Düsseldorf organized a TEDx event. At this event, two members of our leadership team had the opportunity to talk about the profile of the expat spouse and focused on the challenges that women face when trying to have a career while following their partner on an expat assignment.
This study of the Permits Foundation shows a profile of the expat spouse:
And if we ask ourselves what were this women doing before the expatriation? The same study shows that while 89% of them where working only 35% are working while abroad.
This is due to different reasons, some expat decide not to work because they want to enjoy the freedom of not working and because they want to be there for their children. On the other hand, people that choose to work discovered many problems like not having the appropriate language skills or a valid working permit. But the most important reason, the study showed, was the lack of network and contacts in the local markets.
Our network was born trying to help these women create a network that helps them integrate in their new environment and make contacts that help them continue their careers.
The TED talk is available here.
