Johnson Matthey offers engineering ‘returnship’ to STEM back-to-workers

Multinational works with diversity and inclusion firm STEM Returners to get career-break employees back into the workforce

UK multinational Johnson Matthey has formed a partnership with diversity and inclusion organisation STEM Returners to help professionals return to work after a career break.

Johnson Matthey will offer a programme at three UK sites for jobs including process engineering and procurement.

STEM Returners will source candidates and provide them with additional support including advice, career coaching, and mentoring.

Applicants will undertake a fully-paid 12-week ‘returnship’ which allows them to be reintegrated into an inclusive work environment.

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Research from STEM Returners (The STEM Returners Index) shows people who have had a career break face challenges when trying to return, with recruitment bias being the biggest barrier to entry.

Some 66% of STEM professionals on a career break say they are finding the process of attempting to return to work either difficult or very difficult, and nearly half (46%) said they felt bias because of a lack of recent experience.

STEM Returners director Natalie Desty, Director of said: “People wanting to return to work after a career break face an uphill battle, especially when they want to return to STEM industries.”

She added that “only by partnering with industry leaders will we make vital changes in STEM recruitment practices, to help those who are finding it challenging to return to the sector and improve diversity and inclusion”.

Rulande Rutgers, Process Technology Director for Hydrogen Technologies at Johnson Matthey, said integrating STEM returners into her departments “will bring diversity of thinking as well as important competencies and experience to the teams”.

She revealed: “I also returned into a senior technical management role after a career break as primary carer. I remember the challenge to restore confidence in the strengths that I brought to the job.

“The confidence boost that the STEM Returners programme provides will enable the candidates to perform at their full potential, benefitting both them and the company.”

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STEM Returners recently launched the 2023 STEM Returners Index, an annual survey to understand STEM professionals’ experiences of trying to re-enter the sector after a career break.

The Index is open to all STEM professions who have had a gap in their career or who are attempting to return to work or who have recently returned to work.

It is designed to enable STEM Returners to further understand the barriers people face, track progress in STEM industries, and shine a light on the change needed to create fair opportunities for all.

The 2023 STEM Returners Index will be open until 30 June and is available here. .