Partnership with STEM Returners aims to support professionals re-entering the workforce after career breaks.
SiXworks, a leading provider of digital solutions in high-security environments, has announced a new partnership with return-to-work specialists STEM Returners to support professionals in returning to work after a career break.
SiXworks will host a returners programme at their site in Cody Technology Park, Farnborough. STEM Returners will source the candidates and provide career coaching and mentoring throughout the paid placement. At the end of the programme, returners may be offered the opportunity to become permanent employees.
Research from STEM Returners (STEM Returners Index) has found that many people face challenges when returning to work following a career break, with recruitment bias against a lack of recent experience as well as gender, age and race as the main barriers to entry. For example, half (51%) of respondents said a perceived lack of recent experience was a barrier to entry, an increase from 38% in the 2023 Index and more than a quarter (26%) of women said they felt they have personally experienced bias in the recruitment process due to their gender compared to eight per cent of men.
STEM Returners aim to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to adjust to life back in work.
Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners, explained: “We are very proud to enter this new partnership with SiXworks to return highly skilled people back into work and address the well-known skills shortage across the digital sector. Despite a clear need for people, professionals who have had a career break are often overlooked. We must work together to make vital changes in recruitment practices and help those who find it challenging to return to the sector.”
Tina Pullin, Delivery Director of Service and Programmes at SiXworks, said: “At SiXworks, we are deeply committed to supporting the growth and diversity of the STEM workforce. We recognise that innovation thrives when people from varied backgrounds and experiences come together. Partnering with STEM Returners is a natural extension of our values. We’re proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to welcoming returners who will help us continue delivering cutting-edge digital solutions in high-security environments.”
Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 600 candidates have joined programmes across the UK. To view STEM Returners’ opportunities, visit https://stemreturners.com/live-programmes/.
