Women in STEM - Q2 2021 by Mediaplanet UK&IE

A Mediaplanet campaign focused on

Women in STEM

“We want to see women represent a minimum 30% of STEM roles from entry level to boardroom.” ~ Kay Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, WISE

Q2 2021 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

“The role that women engineers have played in protecting and defending us from the pandemic needs to be celebrated.” ~ Elizabeth Donnelly, CEO, Women’s Engineering Society

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Why workplace diversity is good for women — and good for business In order to successfully recruit female STEM talent — and maximise inventiveness and creative outcomes — an organisation must ensure that equality is part of its DNA.

A Danielle Haugedal-Wilson Head of Engineering, Co-op

Charlotte Lock Data & Loyalty Director, Co-op

Adam Warburton Chief Product Officer, Co-op WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

ny STEM organisation that wants to be a leader in its field must ensure that it attracts, empowers, champions and promotes women. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise, says Charlotte Lock, Data & Loyalty Director at Co-op. After all, women make up 50% of the talent in the world — so why would a business not want that same ratio in their recruitment and development programmes? “From a woman’s perspective, STEM roles can be highly stimulating, fulfilling and wellpaid,” agrees Lock. “But from an organisation’s perspective, STEM contributes massively to innovation and growth, so it’s important that women are well-represented. It’s not just a question of gender, however; Co-op is passionate about ensuring equality and representation across all areas of diversity. Firstly, ensuring equality across the board is the right thing to do; and also recruiting from a wider talent pool offers us better ideas, greater inventiveness and more creative outcomes. Doing good is good for business.” Focussing on transferable skills Lock insists that STEM careers can be found in unlikely places. Take Co-op, which has a huge range of STEM career opportunities, including platform and software engineers, analysts, data scientists, and insight specialists. Its product design department, meanwhile, includes content designers, copywriters, visual designers and product managers. Team members don’t necessarily come from ‘traditional’ STEM backgrounds. “There’s a stereotype that to be successful in STEM you need a degree in maths or computer science,” says Adam Warburton, Chief Product Officer, Co-op. “Yet we have product designers who can’t write a single line of code, but can design brilliant interfaces that bring data and technology to life. So it’s possible to get into STEM from less typical routes.” Danielle Haugedal-Wilson is Head of Engineering at Co-op. She believes that to get more women

A lack of flexibility can inhibit a woman’s career,” Lock says. “That’s why it’s so important for an organisation to show that it’s committed to helping employees fulfil their family commitments.”

into STEM, it’s crucial to switch young people onto the subject at an early age. It’s why Co-op works with different partners to go into schools and demonstrate the possibilities of STEM careers. “I’m always incredibly humbled by the amount of talent out there,” says Haugedal-Wilson, remembering when she was judge at a digital skills competition. “I was astonished to find that a team of school girls at the event had developed facial recognition software from scratch — and they’d only just finished their GCSEs at the time! I meet some amazing young people who have bright careers ahead of them.” Co-op also actively promotes STEM in its 27 academies and encourages colleagues to take an active role in developing the next generation of talent. Embracing flexible attitudes Of course, any STEM organisation that wants to attract talent like this can’t simply bolt-on equality as an after-thought. “It has to be part of your DNA,” says Haugedal-Wilson. “For instance, when anyone joins our tech, data and digital teams, they do so on a base salary so that everyone is treated equally. We also make our work/life balance policies clear, so that if someone is thinking about starting a family, they don’t have to mention it during the interview, because they know what our position is already. If we treat everyone the same, then it’s better for everyone.” Lock agrees, and points out that, these days, staff members — whatever their gender — expect flexible and remote working, too. “A lack of flexibility can inhibit a woman’s career,” Lock says. “That’s why it’s so important for an organisation to show that it’s committed to helping employees fulfil their family commitments.” Plus, a business needs to mentor and sponsor its female staff, offering them development and training so that they can build on transferable skills and progress up the career ladder just as easily as men. “In our organisation, 80% of the executive is female,” says Lock. “This demonstrates that it’s not just possible for women to grow into these roles. It’s actively encouraged.”

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Co-op are recruiting now across their tech, data and digital teams. STEM careers at Co-op are many and varied – what connects them all is a focus on innovation, collaboration and personal development. There are opportunities on offer at all levels of experience – find out more and apply at jobs.coop. co.uk/tech-data-digital

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Highlighting our female engineering heroes The Engineering Heroes theme encompasses a huge variety of work protecting society. From cheaper solar panels to disaster support, pandemic face visors to making demolition safer, here are four of our heroes:

The pandemic has highlighted the important work that engineers do and shown that women are playing a major part in serving society.

Dr Tayebeh Ameri

is improving the performance, stability and manufacturing processes of solar power materials to provide cheaper and more effective energy solutions in response to the climate emergency.

Celebrating the engineering heroes of the pandemic

Dame Jo Da Silva

co-ordinated 100 organisations to build 60,000 shelters in six months following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. She also shifted the approach of Arup to prioritise social outcomes for vulnerable communities in developing countries. Da Silva continues to drive change insisting that what we do in the next decade matters for future humanity.

Caitlin McCall

was in the middle of her PhD when the pandemic hit and her response was to design, make and distribute face visors for key workers. Within three months, the visor had appeared on BBC news, been CE marked and NHS approved, resulting in hundreds being manufactured on campus at Swansea University before moving to a local company for mass manufacture.

Era Shah

revolutionised the HS2 demolition works by designing out 25,000-person risk hours associated with falls from height, plant pedestrian interface and uncontrolled collapse. Each building’s demolition programme reduced by a third and led to an overall carbon saving of 360 tonnes. Shah also co-founded the Female Advocates in Infrastructure and Rail (FAIR) network to understand, educate and positively influence behaviours towards gender fairness.

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The theme for International Women in Engineering Day 2021 had to be Engineering Heroes, showing the impact of women engineers on society, during the pandemic and at other times.

erived from the Greek word hērōs, “hero” literally means “protector” or “defender”. In Greek mythology Hero was a woman, so the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) saw no need to feminise an already feminine word. The major role that women engineers around the world have played in 2020-21 in protecting and defending us from the pandemic needs to be celebrated. For example, virologist Minal Dakhave Bhosale delivered India’s first testing kit in a record six weeks, submitting the kit for evaluation the day after she gave birth.1 Influencing public policy Professor Catherine Noakes from the University of Leeds is an expert in ventilation and its effects on cognition.2 This led to her appointment on the UK Government’s SAGE committee, advising on airborne transmission of the virus and the importance of ventilation.3 Noakes was presented with a Royal Academy of Engineering President’s Special Award for Pandemic Service in recognition of her work, which includes the addition of “Fresh Air” to the public health campaign to stop the spread of the virus. Hidden heroics At the same time, the pandemic has brought into sharp focus how engineers also deliver and maintain critical services and infrastructure and keep civic society functioning at every level, supporting lives and livelihoods. The collapse of the Toddbrook Dam in August 2019 brought engineers to the fore. Not only did the dam itself need to be shored up, but millions of litres of water in the reservoir had to be

removed into an area where the water table and surrounding streams were saturated, all while evacuating the nearby village and dealing with the world’s press. Major Angela Laycock from the Royal Engineers led the engineering effort at the Dam and helped build the Birmingham Nightingale Hospital at the NEC.4 More engineers, more heroics It shouldn’t take a crisis to demonstrate the need for more engineers, and obviously, we all wish for restrictions to be lifted once it is safe. However, the pandemic has highlighted the important work that engineers do and shown that women are playing a major part in serving society. We need engineers in ways previously unseen and hopefully this will inspire more women and girls to consider engineering careers. References 1. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/74877138. cms 2. http://www.refresh-project.org.uk/team/ 3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rcnl 4. https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/majorangela-laycock-planning-a-hospital-build-43b0d8011580

Elizabeth Donnelly CEO, Women’s Engineering Society

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Mentoring women in engineering is crucial The face of engineering is changing but there are still not enough women. Rachel Hurst believes more needs to be done to encourage school-age girls to pursue engineering subjects.

A Rachel Hurst Chief Operating Officer, Domino Printing Sciences PLC WRITTEN BY Virginia Blackburn

s a child, Rachel Hurst had no notion of a career in engineering. Yet she is now the Chief Operating Officer at Domino Printing Sciences (Domino), a company she has stayed with throughout her working life. “Academically I was ok, but I didn’t enjoy school and after leaving I was a little lost,” she says. Originally, she wanted to study mechanical engineering at university but the lack of women taking the subject made her decide to do electronic engineering instead. She then worked for a local engineering business, making cabinets to store food on airlines, before joining Domino as a test technician.

engineering. “There’s a real shortage of engineers in this country and we won’t move the dial unless we influence children in schools before taking subject options. It is the people with the right sorts of aptitudes and skills who are not yet considering a career in engineering that we need to inspire.”

Finding the right field Domino sponsored Rachel to do a master’s degree in Engineering Business Management. She says: “It was an epiphany – it unlocked me, I understood I could make a difference. It taught me how an engineering business runs and how to apply the skills in practice through classroom and practical experience.” Rachel travelled the world working in product management and then ran a factory for five years, which she says was one of the highlights of her career. She became the first female board member of Domino in 2015 and is a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Rachel has seen the working culture for female engineers evolve, albeit more slowly than we need it to. She is now fervent about the need to get women into

The value of mentors “Mentorship is also really important: I had an internal mentor who supported me with the Master’s degree and helped with career and personal guidance,” she continues. “Younger women I’ve tried to help have had issues with confidence and self-belief, creating an inclusive environment to sustain a diverse employee base is key for recruitment and retention.” Rachel is a trustee of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and is a firm supporter of their awards. “They offer an inspiring level of awards. Engineers always have and always will deliver solutions to the big societal challenges we face. From apprenticeships and technicians upward to prestige medals, the IET is encouraging recognition for engineering success.”

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There’s a real shortage of engineers in this country and we won’t move the dial unless we influence children in schools before taking subject options.

Find out more at linkedin.com/ company/ domino-printing/

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Diversity of thought drives creativity and innovation

Mara-Tafadzwa Makoni Corporate Partnerships Lead, AFBE, UK

Creativity and innovation are business critical, especially for senior leadership. The under-representation of BAME individuals within senior leadership and on boards is widely acknowledged and must be challenged.

t is reported that 37% of the FTSE 100 companies do not have a BAME director where the figure was only 31% for FTSE 250 companies. The picture is even grimmer for BAME women. Almost 90% of engineering firms have no women from BAME backgrounds either on their board or in their executive team. Less than 1% (0.8%) of all executive and board positions in the top 500 engineering firms are held by BAME women. Engineering employers and the professional institutions representing employees should be mindful of intersectionality within the workplace and across the industry, in order to retain and recruit talent. To do this, organisations and professional institutions alike should advocate for legislation and policies for companies that structurally embed and reproduce sexism/racism. Recognising discrimination in the workplace The Equality Act 2010 addresses the issues of discrimination on the grounds of 14 protected characteristics. However, this does not go far enough in recognising that within the workplace, people have diverse, multifaceted identities that come together and impact their lived experience at work. They may suffer discrimination because of one or more of these protected characteristics. Consequently, intersectionality has been little addressed in direct terms by most

diversity and inclusions strategies/ polices relative to representation and participation on the basis of demographic characteristics and interconnections. At AFBE-UK we have regularly documented and presented on how the interconnections of gender, race, ethnicity and socio-economic factors influence perceptions and decisions about whether to pursue an engineering degree. As an example, many of our AFBEUK members have reported not only experiencing discrimination due to their ethnicity, but also for coinciding gender, sexuality, caregiving, ability and age identities. Furthermore, minority experiences are often marked by issues such as negative stereotypes, unequal access to resources and barriers to participation and opportunities for career progression.

Widening engineering diversity within STEM Female STEM employees from a leading healthcare company are helping to encourage and promote more girls into STEM through community initiatives.

Saheela Mohammed Project Engineer, Operations Engineering, Abbott

WRITTEN BY Linda Whitney

Addressing talent retention issues According to a 2018 report by Race at Work in the UK, career progression is important to 70% of BAME respondents. Yet approximately 52% of BAME employees need to leave their current employers to progress. Poor retention rates of diverse employees are often reflective of some of these negative experiences that BAME employees experience within organisations which do not actively address intersectionality. Ultimately, the high turnover can often generate a negative corporate reputation.

STEM outreach Abbott is passionate about empowering women from all backgrounds to pursue engineering careers and Saheela is active in highlighting the opportunities. She leads a team of ten volunteers across the Witney site who deliver talks about the value of STEM careers. “It includes engineers, scientists and technologists, so young people can see a variety of roles in STEM,” she says. “We give presentations at events and schools and offer mock interview practice and work experience at our diabetes care manufacturing site.” Saheela is also active in Abbott’s local Women in STEM and Women Leaders of Abbott employee network chapters, which connect and support female leaders and employees. Both are part of wider initiatives across the company.

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aheela Mohammed has been dedicated to advancing STEM careers since she was a bioengineering student. Now a project engineer at Abbott in Witney, Oxfordshire, Saheela’s outreach work led to her being awarded the Technology Rising Star Award at the 2020 Women of Color STEM Conference. Saheela says: “As a student I saw how applications such as cardiovascular devices, new imaging technologies and diabetes monitoring technology – which we work on here – can help people live fuller and healthier lives.” She applied for the Abbott graduate programme, which provides structured development through multiple rotations across a range of disciplines. “It means working in different departments, including manufacturing and R&D and on manufacturing projects and operations planning. I started with a spell on the factory floor, which helps you with planning efficiencies in engineering processes.”

Supporting engineers from underrepresented communities Outside of Abbott, Saheela is part of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK), which provides support for engineering students. Currently only 9% of UK engineers are from underrepresented groups, although they average 29.9% of engineering university graduates, according to AFBE-UK. “We are also involved with the STEMReturners initiative, which helps STEM candidates to re-start their careers after a break,” says Saheela. One of Abbott’s key recent hires came through this route. Saheela says: “We are always busy - but I am excited to be helping promote STEM careers in our wider society.”

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Five ways for businesses to improve diversity in STEM Racism is everyone’s problem and STEM organisations can help tackle it.

R Sandra Kerr CBE Race Equality Director, Business in the Community

ace needs to be on every business leader’s agenda. We need inspiring role models in STEM fields from diverse backgrounds and moreover, we need businesses to support them. Only by working together can we keep making progress, and businesses can lead the way, by doing five things:

4. Raise up your role models and uplift mentors The Race at Work survey in 2018 found that 56% of Black African women want a mentor compared to 22% of White British women and 39% of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women overall.2 By creating a network of mentors, more women in STEM will feel supported and empowered at work.

1. Diversify leadership at the very top In senior management roles across private sector organisations, just 1.5% are held by Black leaders – an increase of 0.1% since 2014.1 This can change by business leaders diversifying the talent on their leadership boards.

5. Allies can attribute and amplify We need allies. In the Black Voices Report, just 49% of Black employees believed they were given credit for the ideas and contributions at work, compared to 57% of White, Asian and mixed/multiple ethnic group employees. For women in STEM to succeed, we need to lift each other up, give credit where it’s due and support one another. Businesses can be the power behind progress, they just have to make it happen.

2. Make race part of the agenda Since the first Race at Work Survey in 2015, thousands of employees from across the UK have shared their experiences and barriers faced in the workplace. Businesses can commit to tackling racism at work by joining 740 other companies in signing up to the Race at Work Charter and by encouraging their staff to complete this year’s Race at Work Survey 2021. 3. Prioritise diversity and inclusion in recruitment You know it’s a problem when 33% of Black candidates believe their ethnicity will be a barrier to landing their next job, as opposed to just 1% of White applicants. This needs to change and by setting diverse recruitment targets to ensure a fair selection process, more diverse talent will be attracted.

References 1. Business in the Community, August 2020, Black Voices Report. https://www.bitc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/bitc-reportrace-blackvoices-august20.pdf. 2. Business in the Community, October 2018, Race at Work 2018: The Scorecard Report. https://www.bitc.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2019/10/bitc-race-report-raceatworkscorecardoneyearon-oct2018.pdf Read more at womenin stem.co.uk

The past 18 months has shown us that the modern world is more connected than ever, which presents huge global challenges – ones which science and engineering are key in helping to solve. These incredible feats within science, engineering and technology are something to be celebrated. - Professor Carole Mundell, President, The Science Council

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From STEM to STEAM: the need for the arts in the technology industry You don’t have to be a deep technologist to be a part of the tech sector. An interdisciplinary approach that covers STEAM Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths – can improve creativity and innovation and drive the tech sector.

T Jacqueline de Rojas CBE President, techUK

he digital skills gap we currently face is rooted in the perception people have of STEM. Witness the example of a teacher who invited students at her primary school to draw a ‘scientist’. They nearly all drew a white man in a lab coat. The teacher then asked the children to draw themselves as a scientist and from that was able to show them that anyone can be involved in science. To broaden our meaning of STEM to include STEAM signals to many more people that they could seek a career path in tech. Creativity and digital go hand-in-hand but we need a more focused approach on how to better meet the needs of industry in order to equip students with the right skills to enter the workforce and their ongoing careers. Diversity and inclusion sit at the heart of this. Lack of diversity matters In a nationwide poll of 1,000 16–18 year olds by the Institute of Coding, more than half believe the digital workforce lacks diversity with 70% of youth surveyed thinking the sector is run entirely by those of White, British ethnicity. One in 10 admit they are actively discouraged from pursuing digital education and jobs due to the lack of gender or ethnic diversity representation. While some of these opinions echo what many people in the industry may already feel, what is shocking is that these are the perceptions of young people who have yet to set foot in the sector.

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We have the opportunity to educate future generations and show them that there is an intersection of creativity and STEM that can allow anyone to gain digital skills and to thrive. Showcase the life changing opportunities of digital skills and jobs It is clear that we must re-evaluate the way students perceive tech. As our world continues to digitise, virtually every job is going to have a tech element to it – and those jobs won’t all sit in the field of being a deep technologist. techUK is working with the wider tech sector to run a campaign to inspire more interest. The Fast Forward for Digital Jobs Taskforce shares how people from all walks of life, including creatives and artists, have gained skills in digital technology and benefited from life-changing career opportunities. We have the opportunity to educate future generations and show them that there is an intersection of creativity and STEM that can allow anyone to gain digital skills and to thrive.

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My career in STEM: Writing code and saving lives

Are STEM degrees a good route into programming? Yes – definitely. At TPP, we actually look for programmers from any degree subject, however, we do find the vast majority of them from STEM subjects. STEM graduates have analytical, logical minds – perfect for coding. In fact, over half of our directors have STEM degrees.

Empathy is a characteristic that every successful leader needs. You must understand what motivates and drives people. Do your staff feel safe, empowered, looked after, rewarded and do they trust you?

Charlotte Knowles Managing Director, TPP

WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

What did you do after your MSc? My first job after uni was at an educational software company in Oxford. It was a large company and I found the bureaucracy and many layers of management frustrating and slow paced. I then found a small company in Leeds, called TPP, who had huge ambitions and a vision to transform healthcare technology. Frank, the CEO, talked to me about this innovative architecture that he had written that could save clinicians time and improve outcomes for patients. I remember thinking that I was going to learn a lot at this company. When I look back over the past 20 years at TPP, it’s humbling to think that I have contributed to this hugely successful company.

As a leader, you need to ask yourself: ‘Am I treating people in a way I would like to be treated? You’re responsible for recruitment. What kind of job candidates catch your eye? Our staff are our greatest asset. They are a wonderfully diverse bunch, from all over the world, with a whole range of interests and backgrounds. So we really don’t have a ‘typical TPP person.’ What we do look for is exceptional academic achievement. We really do hire the brightest minds.

IMAGE PROVIDED BY TPP

Charlotte Knowles, Managing Director of Leedsbased healthcare technology company TPP, reflects on her successful career in tech — and what she looks for in potential employees.

How did you kickstart your career in technology? I initially studied Medicine at university but soon switched to Mathematics, which had always been my favourite subject. I then decided to take an MSc in Computer Science. That gave me knowledge of a broad range of topics including programming, networks and artificial intelligence.

What does your role involve – and what leadership skills do you need? I’m responsible for the day-today running of the company and overseeing the activity of all teams, from product development to system deployment, plus supporting the welfare of our staff. For me, empathy is a characteristic that every successful leader needs. You must understand what motivates and drives people. Do your staff feel safe, empowered, looked after, rewarded and do they trust you? Trust is so important in building relationships with both your colleagues and your customers. As a leader, you need to ask yourself: ‘Am I treating people in a way I would like to be treated?’ What’s the best thing about your job? The huge variety of projects we get to work on. I’ve worked on AI to help clinicians diagnose cancer, I’ve helped develop public health surveillance systems and I’ve visited countries all over the world. Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been particularly proud of the work we’ve done. For example, together with Dr Ben Goldacre, we built the largest platform for COVID-19 research in the world, OpenSAFELY.

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A mindset shift is making tech a great career for women The tech sector is still male-dominated, but things are changing — and it’s an excellent career choice for women, says Imogen Hardcastle, Principal Digital Consultant at Newton.

The key thing is to get passionate, talented women in the right places to help that change along.

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Were you always good at STEM subjects? Science subjects were my thing. At school I loved maths because there was either a right or a wrong answer, which is how I’m wired. Put it like this: I did four science A Levels – maths, further maths, physics and chemistry. I found studying them easier because the principles of one subject can be applied in another. That said, when I finished my studies, I knew I never wanted to touch advanced mathematics again! But it just so happens that the theories and fundamentals of maths make me a good technical consultant. In my current role, I lead technical designs that help release opportunity for clients. That could be anything from helping them achieve better data visibility to a complete system redesign.

Why is consulting a good career choice for women in STEM? When I left university, I didn’t know which sector I wanted to work in or what I wanted to achieve. In consulting, however, I’ve worked with private sector companies, hospitals and the defence sector, so the variety is huge. In some technical roles you can be divorced from the people who’ll be using your products.

In consulting that can’t happen because, to make sure a solution is successful, you have to work closely with clients to really understand what’s going on in their business. There’s a big ‘people’ aspect to this job, and I love that. Plus, sometimes in consulting, teams are typically small, you’re given a lot of responsibility from day one, and — because you understand the client so well — your opinion is listened to and respected.

Imogen Hardcastle Principal Digital Consultant, Newton WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

How important is it for women to have a support network in their careers? My support network is the peer group I joined the company with five years ago. Everyone has a development manager — a consistent presence throughout their career — who they talk to about promotion, long-term aspirations and development goals. They’ll also champion you to make sure your voice is being heard in the business. Then I have a technical mentor who helps with my technical development, and there are women’s networks and events. It can be a stressful job, so having a strong support network — regardless of your gender — is imperative. The tech sector is male dominated. Are things improving? Diversity and inclusion are on a journey. It’s not fixed and it’s not going to be anytime soon — but a mindset shift is happening. It’ll take a while, but as women come up through university and into layers of management, they’ll begin to influence the future of work for women in technology. The key thing is to get passionate, talented women in the right places to help that change along. Because I really want to work in a world where women aren’t affected by imposter syndrome and don’t have to think: ‘Am I only here because I’m a woman?’ We need to take gender out of the equation and value people’s strengths as individuals. What’s your advice for young women studying STEM and considering their future careers? Just because you have, say, a chemistry degree, don’t think that chemistry is your only career option. The reason that consulting hires so many STEM students is because of the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities they bring to the table. The other thing is, find a mentor or sponsor in an area that you want to work in, or a company you want to work for. There are also mentorship programmes for university students who want to get into STEM careers such as consulting. Go on Google or LinkedIn and reach out to them, because being guided by someone in a senior position can really help you shape your career.

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Find out more at newtoneurope. com/careers

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ASSUREDLY INDIVIDUAL. REFRESHINGLY NEWTON.

To crack some of the largest and most complex challenges in the public and private sectors, we have to look at them from as many different angles as possible. Because we know that wider-ranging viewpoints lead to better solutions for our clients. That’s why, at Newton, we value the individuality of every single person who works with us. And why we’re committed to creating an environment that welcomes, celebrates, supports and inspires greater diversity of thought. Find out more about the work we do and how your unique contribution could help us make an even greater impact at newtoneurope.com/careers

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Sector collaboration gets returners back on track The pandemic reversed the growth trend in STEM returner programmes. A collective approach is needed to ensure that the valuable talent of women returners is not wasted.

E Julianne Miles CEO & Co-Founder, Women Returners

xperienced STEM professionals returning to work after taking an extended career break for childcare, eldercare or other reasons bring a wealth of skills and experience. They’re a diverse talent pool in terms of gender (90% are women), age and experience. However, they face high barriers when they want to resume their careers, rejected as risky candidates in mainstream recruitment due to widespread bias against their lack of recent experience. Reversal of returner programme growth Pre-COVID, the landscape for returners was improving. STEM employers running returner programmes grew from two in 2015 to over 30 in 2019, providing hundreds of talented professionals with a supported route back to work.

Cross-company collaboration This model is readily transferable across sectors. Innovate Finance, the industry body representing UK’s FinTech community, recently announced a partnership with Women Returners to launch a UK fintech Cross-Company Programme. They are currently bringing together interested employers, for an early 2022 cohort intake. Enabling experienced women to return to work is an issue for organisations, society and the economy. By working together, employers can create better solutions and accelerate progress towards making supportive returner hiring a sustainable part of regular recruitment.

Enabling experienced women to return to work is an issue for organisations, society and the economy.

By working together, employers can create better solutions and accelerate progress towards making supportive returner hiring a sustainable part of regular recruitment. The majority launched returnships, paid three to six month professional placements where 75-90% of participants typically convert to permanent employment. Others preferred ‘supported hiring’, bringing returners directly into permanent roles. However, the pandemic reversed the growth trend. The number of returner programmes halved in 2020. Despite a recent resurgence, this has been a major set-back in harnessing the skills and experience of women returners.

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