Parents and carers in Greater Manchester trying to return to STEM industries after a career break can now apply for a new Government programme delivered by return to work experts Women Returners and STEM Returners. Employers in the North West can also access free support to access and support this talent pool.

There are currently around 75,000 people (the majority women) who are economically inactive due to caring responsibilities in the UK, who had a STEM occupation before their career and who would like to return to work in the future, according to government figures. Many more professionals are working well below their skills levels around their family. These talented professionals face an uphill battle when trying to get back to professional work, with a range of challenges from lack of self-confidence to widespread recruiter bias against people with a gap on their CV.

The STEM ReCharge initiative, launched and funded by the Government Equality Hub, will provide free-of-charge return to work career coaching, job skills training, sector-specific mentoring and knowledge updating to returners with tech or engineering experience.

The coaching and job skills programme will address practical and psychological barriers, providing a range of support including rebuilding confidence, balancing work and caring, writing a back to work CV and honing interview skills.

Participants will then receive 1:1 mentoring for a tech or engineering mentor, and an opportunity to attend a tech or engineering ReFresh Week with updating sessions from industry experts to prepare them for interviews. Small group sessions will encourage motivating return-to-work support networks. There will be follow-on support with finding suitable work opportunities and reintegrating into the workforce.

STEM ReCharge is being rolled out in the North West, Midlands and North East after analysis carried out by Women Returners and STEM Returners showed these areas have far fewer returner programmes than southern areas. From 2020 to 2022 there were 1.6 returner programmes per million people in the Midlands, 2.3 programmes in the North East and Yorkshire and 2.5 programmes in the North West, compared with 7.8 programmes in London and 5.3 programmes in the South West.

Returners can apply for the STEM ReCharge programme.

As part of STEM ReCharge, Women Returners, in partnership with STEM Returners, will also provide free training and support for 30 STEM employers in the Midlands and the North of England, to enable them to better recruit and retain this talent pool who are so often overlooked.

These sessions will aim to improve recruitment processes and the onboarding experience for returners and will inform about best practice in creating inclusive returner programmes.

Employer insight events will also take place in Leeds (24 April) Liverpool (25 April) and Birmingham (26 April). Local organisations can find out more about the training and learn from the experience of Women Returners and STEM Returners, together with successful returner employers and returners.

Women Returners and STEM Returners are the two leading organisations in the UK in STEM returner programmes and supportive returner network communities. More than 600 experienced STEM professionals have returned to work through their returner programmes.

Julianne Miles, CEO of Women Returners, said: “Over the last 9 years, we have seen the multiple challenges parents and carers face when trying to return to professional roles after a long career break. More support is needed around the UK, but particularly in the Midlands and the North. Working together with local employers, we can create more supported routes back to work for parents and carers and continue to dismantle the career break penalty that is so evident in STEM.”

Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners, said: “As an industry, we need to do more to increase the opportunity for returners in STEM and lower the barriers they face when they try to resume their careers. We would like to encourage returners and employers to take advantage of this free programme and work together to help more parents and carers return to work.”

Minister for Women, Maria Caulfield MP, said: “STEM is one of the fastest growing industries and a big booster for the economy. However there is a shortage in STEM employees and 75,000 STEM returners who want to get back to work.

“Women Returners and STEM Returners are fantastic organisations who will support returners and employers. I urge employers to take up this opportunity to benefit from the talents and experience of tried-and-tested STEM professionals.”