Charmaine joined a STEM Returners programme after facing difficulties finding employment after moving to the UK and having a career break.
Charmaine kindly shared her experiences with us and the barriers she faced.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU?
I was born and raised in Philippines and moved to the UK last year. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and a Certified Public Accountant in the Philippines. I enjoy travelling, nature walks and into fitness – I particularly like strength training and indoor rowing.
WHAT IS YOUR WORKING BACKGROUND? IF YOU LIKE TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER BREAK.
I am a finance professional with 17 years of working experience mostly in the Oil and Gas sector of the Energy industry. I have transferrable skills developed during this time in finance, management, and operations.
For the past 15 years, I have worked in a highly diverse and global environment of multinational energy company. For a decade, I was with their Finance Operations involved in migration of processes and systems and operations & process excellence for retail companies in Asia and Europe. In the last 5 years with the company, I was in a Finance Advisory and Project Management before I resigned and moved to UK to get married.
When I moved to UK, I didn’t have permit to work for 6 months until I have acquired my spouse visa. During such time, I prepared to get married and focused spending time with my partner as having been in long-distance relationship for the past 5 years. In this time-off as well, I started to evaluate if I want to study and get certification in either project management or Finance. I took advantage of taster sessions, refresher courses and talked to people who’ve gotten further certification. When I acquired my spouse visa, I started applying to various roles in Finance where I felt most confident. It took me another 6 months before I was able to land on role through STEM Returners.
WHAT BARRIERS HAVE YOU FACED WHEN APPLYING FOR ROLES?
I have applied to various Finance related roles in several companies and either I get an instant rejection or did not receive a reply at all. The companies who replied did not provide reasons why I wasn’t shortlisted for an interview. This is difficult for an applicant because you do not know exactly what you lack or why aren’t you considered. But I also understand the position these companies were in; they must have been flooded with applicants.
When I reached out to people who were in the same situation as me, an immigrant and had some time off – having no prior UK working experience was the common barrier when applying for role. Even with my years of experience in Southeast Asia and working with a multinational company, that wasn’t enough. It also did not help that while I am an Accountancy Licensure Board passer in the Philippines, this is not recognized in the UK. For most companies, I needed to get an equivalent or new certification which will require money and time.
WHY DID YOU APPROACH STEM RETURNERS?
I was approached by STEM Returners for a Project Manager opening. After several weeks, I received a call that I wasn’t shortlisted for an interview for the Project Manager opening but the company is interested in interviewing me for an Accounting/Finance related role.
HOW DID STEM RETURNERS HELP?
STEM Returners provided me the opportunity to be able to connect to companies who were looking for particular skills and experience. It was incredibly reassuring when I received that call from STEM Returners — that the barriers I faced when applying for roles were not isolated and they were here to bridge that. It gave me comfort knowing there are companies that partnered with STEM Returners who are giving chance to people on a career break or facing difficulty in finding a role in specific industries. I have received coaching and support for the interview.
WHAT WAS THE END RESULT?
Without STEM Returners, I wouldn’t have had the exposure and visibility to the role and the company I am with today. STEM Returners gave me confidence that as an immigrant with no UK recognized certification and no prior UK working experience, I have transferrable skills and my past working experience matter. I am grateful for the team at STEM Returners for encouraging me to apply and through them I found OWC.
HOW HAS THIS CHANGED YOUR CAREER?
It was still very clear to me that I wanted to continue working in Finance. The opportunity from OWC and STEM Returners allowed me to apply my existing skills and knowledge to a new area – a consultancy company. It has also allowed me to remain within the Energy Industry and to be a part of the exciting world of Renewables. The role is challenging and provides an opportunity for a wealth of learning and new experience.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THE PROGRAMME OVERALL?
The programme is a wonderful initiative in bridging not only the recruitment barriers but also creating opportunities for people who are on a career break to ready them, show their talents and partner them with industry leaders.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR RETURNERS LIKE YOURSELF?
Taking time out from work can give you the chance to reflect and assess your career path. Take advantage of having the time of being able to connect with friends and your network to see what’s new, what’s available and what might be interesting for you. This could be the perfect opportunity for you to move to a new area or go back and strengthen where you already were.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re ready to return to or transition into a fulfilling STEM career, we’re here to help you succeed. Explore our current opportunities and find the opportunity that’s right for you.
