Scheme supports engineers to return to work after career break

Lendlease Europe has formed a new partnership with STEM Returners to help people restart their career following a career break. 

The Lendlease STEM Returners Programme will be available across the organisation’s divisions including Build to Rent, Construction and Consulting. 

STEM Returners, a leading organisation in the UK in returner programmes, will source candidates and provide them with additional support including advice, career coaching, and mentoring - ensuring applicants are ready and confident to return to work. 

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

“We are very proud to be entering this new partnership with Lendlease, to return highly skilled people back into the industry they love.

"Only by partnering with industry leaders like Lendlease, 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.”

Shaina Kotecha, chief people officer for Lendlease Europe, added: “Partnering with STEM returners will help attract people back into work after a long break, contributing to the strong and diverse workforce we strive for, where every individual's skills help contribute to our organisation's goals."

Annual research from STEM Returners (The STEM Returners Index) shows the challenges people who have taken a career break face when trying to return to work – recruitment bias being the main barrier to entry.

The research found 66% of STEM professionals on a career break were finding the process of attempting to return to work either difficult or very difficult and nearly half (46%) of participants said they felt bias because of a lack of recent experience.

STEM Returners has 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 STEM Returners 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 and will enable STEM Returners to further understand the barriers people face, track the progress UK STEM industries are making, 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 returners can participate here. 

Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 380 STEM Returners candidates have joined programmes across the UK. 

Find opportunities with STEM Returners.