Career Breaks aren’t Career-enders

Careers
28th August 2025

Article by Natalie Desty

Natalie Desty on how STEM Returners is helping experienced professionals re-enter the industry after time away – challenging hiring bias, closing skills gaps and proving that career breaks don’t mean lost talent

I LAUNCHED STEM Returners in 2017 after seeing a pattern I couldn’t ignore. In a previous technical recruitment role, I met countless professionals with strong experience and qualifications who couldn’t get back into STEM after a break. As director of Maritime Engineering, I saw firsthand how the system shut out returning professionals, not because they lacked talent, but because employers made assumptions about gaps in CVs. The industry was talking about inclusion, but returners were being left behind.

Who are STEM returners, and what do we do?

STEM Returners is a mission-driven organisation focused on enabling professionals who’ve taken a career break to return to the STEM sector.

Since launching, we’ve helped over 600 professionals across the UK restart their careers through short-term, paid placements. These placements are delivered in partnership with forward-thinking organisations – employers who recognise the value of experience and are actively taking steps to remove barriers in their hiring.

Our programmes offer structured support, coaching, and hands-on experience to help returners rebuild confidence and reconnect with their expertise. The results speak for themselves: 96% go on to secure permanent roles with their host organisation.

Alongside supporting individuals, we work directly with employers to challenge outdated hiring practices. That means reviewing recruitment processes, addressing unconscious bias, and helping hiring teams understand the real value returners bring.

Each placement isn’t just filling a role, it’s changing the narrative around career breaks and contributing to a more inclusive and diverse industry.

Returner stories: Osi

After more than 13 years working across energy, manufacturing, and IT, Osi took a year-long career break to focus on personal development. He used the time to upskill, gain new certifications, and realign his career goals – but his passion for quality management and process optimisation never wavered.

With a master’s in chemical engineering and a strong track record in project delivery, Osi knew he had a lot to offer. Still, returning wasn’t easy. The employment gap raised questions with employers, and finding the right opportunity proved challenging. Like many returners, he felt uncertain about how the break would be perceived.

Osi joined the STEM Returners programme to get the support and structure needed to restart his career. Through the programme, he secured a placement with EDF Energy, working on Hinkley Point C – the UK’s largest infrastructure project, set to power six million homes. The project aligned perfectly with his values and skills.

Over six months, he regained his confidence, applied his expertise, and became part of a forward-thinking team. At the end of the placement, he was offered a permanent role as a project quality engineer.

Osi’s return has reinvigorated his career. The role has opened up new responsibilities, new challenges, and a renewed sense of purpose. His advice is “to not let a career break hold you back. Trust in your abilities and the experience you bring”.

STEM Returners was proud to support Osi’s journey – and his contribution to one of the most critical engineering projects in the UK today.

Read more about Osi’s return: https://bit.ly/osis-story

“(Do) not let a career break hold you back. Trust in your abilities and the experience you bring” Osi

Returners: The often-forgotten talent

We define a “returner” as someone who previously worked in STEM and is looking to re-enter the industry after a career break, regardless of their length of time away. Breaks happen for all manner of reasons: childcare or other caring responsibilities, health challenges or recovery, redundancy, relocation, or other personal circumstances. Some are planned, but many are not. Only 15% of respondents to our 2024 STEM Returners Index¹ said their break was taken by choice.

Despite being highly experienced, returners are often undervalued. They bring leadership, technical skills, and a strong desire to contribute, but are too frequently overlooked.

Every journey is different

There’s no typical returner story. Some returners are out for months, others for years. Some return to the same career; others pivot to something new. What unites them is capability and commitment.

It’s time we normalise career breaks. They are a natural part of modern careers, yet returners still face outdated attitudes and hiring practices that equate time out with skill fade or a lack of ambition. We’ve seen firsthand that’s not the case.

The barriers and biases returners face

Since 2019, our annual STEM Returners Index has highlighted the real challenges faced by professionals trying to return. It’s more than a report; it gives returners a voice and provides a clear view of where change is needed. Our aim is to inform policy, spark conversation and support inclusive hiring.

STEM remains innovative, but progress on inclusion is slow. Returners, especially women, minority ethnic professionals and older professionals, still face unnecessary barriers. Meanwhile, employers report growing skills shortages.

According to the Government Equality Hub, 75,000 skilled STEM professionals are trying to return to work. But systemic issues continue to block their path.

Stigma around career breaks is one of the biggest barriers. Employers often assume gaps mean diminished skills.

In our 2024 index, 75% of returners held a degree or higher, with most having over five years of experience. Yet over half had been rejected due to “lack of recent experience”, highlighting how returners can be underestimated despite strong credentials.

Unconscious bias plays a role too. 40% of returners reported experiencing bias during the recruitment process, often related to age, gender, or ethnicity. This means decisions are being influenced not by ability or experience, but by assumptions about who “fits” best. These often unspoken and unintentional biases can have a lasting impact. They shape shortlisting decisions, affect how interviews are conducted, and influence perceptions of capability.

While these are some of the most common challenges, they are by no means the only ones. Each adds to an already difficult journey. Until these systemic barriers are addressed, the industry will continue to miss out on highly skilled, motivated individuals, just when it needs them most.

Returner stories: Claire

After completing a DPhil in organic chemistry at the University of Oxford and contributing to research in antibiotic drug discovery, Claire stepped away from her career to raise her twin daughters. Thirteen years later, with her children thriving at secondary school, she found herself missing intellectual challenge, routine, and financial independence – but returning to work felt daunting.

Despite strong academic credentials, Claire had never applied for a job. Her confidence was low, and she worried her skills wouldn’t match employer expectations after so long away. She began applying but was frequently met with silence and rejection. Then a friend shared an online talk by STEM Returners. For the first time, Claire felt seen, like her background had value and a place in the industry.

Encouraged by the session, she applied for a project engineer placement at Jacobs’ Critical Mission Solutions (now Amentum). With support from STEM Returners and a positive interview experience, she was soon offered a 12-week placement. Claire approached the role with openness and self-compassion, and was quickly struck by the inclusive, supportive culture of the team.

Following a successful STEM Returners placement, Claire secured a permanent role, transitioning into a consultant position within one of Amentum’s technical teams. She’s now working on projects that stretch her skills and allow her to keep learning, while contributing to meaningful work in a supportive environment.

Claire credits the STEM Returners programme for smoothing her transition and providing the structure, mentorship, and encouragement she needed. Her advice to others: “Always fully recognise and value your own skills and attributes, however long you’ve been out of work.

“The right opportunity is out there, and with the right support, you can take it.”

Read more about Claire’s story: https://bit.ly/claire-story

“Always fully recognise and value your own skills and attributes, however long you’ve been out of work” Claire

Advice for returners

To all returners: keep going. It’s frustrating, yes, but your experience is valid. You’re not starting from scratch, you’re restarting, and that matters.

Talk about your break honestly. It’s part of your story. Focus on the value you bring, not just what’s missing. Seek out employers and programmes that support returners. Most of all, don’t let rejection convince you that you don’t belong. You do.

For employers

Employers must take an active role in removing barriers, but this isn’t just about new processes; it’s about changing mindsets. Career breaks do not erase experience or ability. Decision-makers need to recognise the strength, adaptability, and perspective returners offer.

Hiring should reflect that. Returners shouldn’t be compared to someone without a break. Create pathways tailored to different career journeys. Focus job descriptions on capability, not just recent roles. Keep interviews practical and inclusive. Offer flexibility, especially in the early stages of re-entry.

But getting returners through the door is only the start. Provide structure, mentoring, and feedback, and make space for their voices to be heard. Returners don’t need a handout; they need understanding and opportunity. When given both, they thrive.

Returner stories: Tonya

Tonya began her STEM career in the plastics industry, working as a process engineer before progressing into a specialist role focused on raw materials. Over ten years, she built deep technical knowledge, collaborated closely with suppliers, and authored detailed specifications. She also expanded her experience by moving into a quality engineer position, gaining valuable insight into auditing and quality systems.

In 2010, with two young children and a demanding role, Tonya made a conscious decision to prioritise her work-life balance. She stepped away from industry and took on a school-based science technician role, where she spent the next decade inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. The education sector gave her a different perspective, but the pull of industry never fully went away.

When the pandemic changed her school role significantly, Tonya realised she was ready for something new. She missed the technical challenges of engineering and wanted to build a more secure future for her family. Despite doubts about her age and time away, she started applying for roles. She hadn’t interviewed in a decade, the job market had changed, and she questioned whether her skills were still relevant. But she persevered.

Tonya went on to secure a role as an electroplating process engineer at Harwin, where she applied her experience in chemistry and materials to process improvement and chemical analysis. With a supportive team, patient mentoring, and access to training, she was able to thrive and grow within the business, going on to secure a new role as materials technologist at Southbourne Rubber.

Her message to others considering a return is clear: “Believe in yourself…if it’s something you are passionate about, then there is still a career out there for you, just make that application and someone will open the door for you.”

Closing thoughts

Returners aren’t asking for special treatment. They’re asking for a fair chance. If you’re a returner, know you’re not alone – support is out there – and if you’re an employer, this is the time to start thinking and acting differently.

The future of the STEM workforce won’t be built just by attracting new talent. It depends on how well we re-engage experienced professionals who are ready to return. It’s time to stop treating career breaks as career endings and start seeing them as part of a longer, valuable journey

References

1. STEM Returners Index 2024: https://bit.ly/returners-index-2024
2. More women to be supported back into STEM jobs in government-backed training: https://bit.ly/gov-stem-support

IChemE and STEM Returners partnership

IChemE and STEM Returners have launched a partnership to support returners back to industry after career breaks. Find out more at https://bit.ly/icheme-stem-returners

IChemE Fellow Helen Ramsay explains how STEM Returners helped her build a high- performing, diverse engineering team

Natalie Desty will be presenting a free webinar: Rethinking career breaks: Returning talent back to Engineering on 4 November: https://bit.ly/desty-webinar