The Returnship Journey: Part 3

Madhu Comandur's Journey

Returnship programs are essential in helping professionals restart their careers after an extended break. According to a study by the ManpowerGroup, 84% of millennials—both men and women—say they anticipate “significant breaks” in their careers due to childcare or various other reasons.b

At Cadence, we offer a 16-week returnship program for electrical engineering professionals that consists of technical training, hands-on projects, and opportunities to interact with customers to prepare returnees for re-entering the workforce.

In this returnship journey spotlight, we are excited to feature the success story of one of our returnees, Madhu Comandur, who is now employed as a full-time Lead Application Engineer at Cadence.

Madhu originally left her job as a Design Verification Engineer to focus on childcare. During that time, she enrolled in evening classes to keep up with the latest tools and technology in design verification. Several years later, Madhu was ready to re-enter the workforce, but found it difficult as there were limited opportunities for someone returning from a career break.

We interviewed Madhu about her experience in the program. Here’s what she learned and what advice she has for future returnees.

Why did you feel Cadence’s Returnship Program was right for you?

I chose Cadence’s Returnship Program because it felt like the right fit. Cadence valued my previous work experience and my Master’s degree. They also understood why the career break was necessary and important for me.

What are the top 3 things you enjoyed as part of the program?

• The program was very well-structured. I enjoyed learning and working on the latest technology trends with industry-leading tools.
• I had amazing mentors and received enormous support from my manager and upper management who encouraged and instilled confidence in me. I truly felt the One Cadence – One Team culture.
• Despite the unprecedented situation around the world, I connected with my co-workers with whom I could speak with about various topics ranging from the latest technology to my personal situation of returning to work after a break.

Are you already utilizing some of the skills you learned as an AE? How did you apply what you learned in the program to your role as an AE?

Yes, absolutely. During this program, I revamped my technical skills, improved my communication skills and was exposed to pre-sales and post-sales responsibilities. The trainings I undertook exposed me to real-world design problems and gave me the tools I needed to properly handle customer support issues. I also honed my presentation skills and was able to confidently present to one of our customers in my role as an AE.

What advice would you give a future returnee?

This program is tailored to build your confidence, give you the platform to hone your skills, and start a career successfully after a break. If you get the opportunity to be a part of Cadence’s returnship program, just go for it. It’s an amazing initiative that empowered me by providing access to resources, hands-on guidance to ramp up on the latest technologies and an opportunity to interact with cross-functional teams to solve challenging problems.

To learn more about our Returnship Program, read our previous blog, The Returnship Journey – Part I and refer to our current open returnship positions.