Woman who took five years out for childcare gets top BBC job

[TantieTowie]

Gwyneth Williams, who took five years out to look after her kids in the 1980s, is the new controller of Radio 4. link here

This seems like inspiring news to me, especially considering how many women leave the TV/broadcast industries. link here and here

It always seems that if you want to get to a top job you pretty much have to keep going, and full time at that, rather than taking time out. So this is reassuring, I think.

What do you think?

Brilliant.

I took four years out as a SAHM and yes, it is affecting me initially, but I am confident that it won't have done any lasting damage to my career. After all, I am in my 30s now, but have another 25 or 30 years left of working life. Surely a few years out early in my working life can't have totally fucked up my prospects?

i understand it can be different in some sectors, though - like missing your only chance to become partner in a law firm or whatever.

We need more role models like this. My mum was one - she took five years out to be SAHM, then retrained (in her mid 30s) and by her mid forties was in a very senior position at a large organisation. She never let it be a problem and was unapologetic about taking a career break to look after her very small children and equally unapologetic about being ambitious and wanting to climb the greasy pole once she was back at work. Inspiring.

Exactly.

This is where her five years out is mentioned, by the way.