STEM Returners reaches milestone of 500 professionals back to work from career breaks

STEM Returners, a Southampton-based company, is celebrating a major milestone—500 professionals returning to work following a career break.

Founded in 2017 by Natalie Desty, STEM Returners partners with leading STEM organisations to offer paid short-term placements for candidates who have been out of employment for some time. These programmes provide valuable work experience and offer the possibility of permanent employment at the end of the placement.

Natalie, who has a background in recruitment, launched the company after recognising the challenges STEM professionals face when trying to re-enter the workforce after a career gap. She explained: “I wanted to provide an inclusive way back for those talented people who were being let down by outdated recruitment methods.”

The initiative started with a small pilot programme in collaboration with BAE Systems in Portsmouth, which proved successful for both returners and the company. Since then, other well-known firms across sectors like aerospace, tech, engineering, renewables, and construction have launched their own returners programmes, covering the UK and Ireland.

One recent success story is David from Southampton, who joined global security company Leonardo as a Systems Engineer through STEM Returners. Despite having a robust background in education, teaching STEM subjects in colleges and earning multiple qualifications, David found transitioning into industry a challenge due to his age, employment status, and lack of recent industry experience.

Reflecting on his experience, David said: “Initially, I doubted whether I’d be a good fit, but I was thrilled to be proven wrong. This opportunity has been transformative for me. The programme allowed me and the hiring managers to assess if I would be a good fit. Although the learning curve was steep, I quickly adapted and started contributing to real projects.”

STEM Returners’ research highlights key challenges returners face, including recruitment bias based on age, gender, and lack of recent experience. The programme aims to remove these barriers, offering mentoring and support during placements to ease the transition back to work.

Natalie added: “We are extremely proud to have helped 500 STEM professionals return to work at some of the world’s leading firms. This milestone reflects the hard work of our team and our partner organisations who share our passion for creating a more inclusive recruitment process.”