STEM Returners to help Oxfordshire engineers get back into work

A new jobs programme in Oxfordshire has been launched to help STEM professionals return to work after a career break.

The returners programme is being run through a partnership between STEM Returners and international engineering, services and products company NUVIA.

NUVIA works throughout the life cycle of a nuclear facility – from design, construction, operations, risk management and maintenance to decommissioning and waste management.

Working with STEM Returners, NUVIA will provide a new programme at their site near Harwell and Didcot, as well as in Warrington.

Engineering and design roles will be available across civil and structural, electrical, controls and instrument, and mechanical disciplines.

STEM Returners, based in Hampshire, will source the candidates and provide career coaching and mentoring throughout the 12-week paid placement.

Returners may be offered the opportunity to become permanent NUVIA employees at the end of the programme.

Research from STEM Returners shows the challenges people face when trying to return to work following a career break, with recruitment bias shown to be the main barrier to entry.

It also shows women trying to return to industry are more likely to experience recruitment bias than men.

STEM Returners’ programmes aim to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to adjust to life back in work.

Natalie Desty, director of STEM Returners said: “We are very proud to be entering this new partnership with NUVIA, to return highly skilled people back into the industry they love.

“There is a well-known skills shortage in the UK engineering industry, but despite a clear need for people, professionals who have had a career break are often overlooked.

“Only by partnering with industry leaders like NUVIA 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.”

Paula Quinn, head of talent development and communications at NUVIA UK, added: “We are excited to introduce this dynamic Returners programme, which supports our strategy to attract a diverse and inclusive talent pool to NUVIA and the nuclear sector.

“STEM Returners is more than just reintegrating talented professionals into the workforce – it’s about leveraging diverse experiences and perspectives to fuel innovation and growth.

“We are dedicated to removing barriers and offering a smooth transition for skilled individuals to restart their STEM careers, thereby enriching the industry with their unique expertise and fresh insights."

Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 500 candidates have joined programmes across the UK.