STEM Returners teams up with UK Atomic Energy Authority on new programme

Hampshire's STEM Returners is partnering with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the national group responsible for delivering fusion energy, on a new programme to help engineers return to work after a career break.

Based at UKAEA's Oxfordshire site, the 12-week paid placement programme includes roles in its robotics division and with UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS).

The latter is delivering the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant to be built in Nottinghamshire and which is targeting first operations in 2040.

"For fusion to be successful we need a representative workforce with a diverse range of backgrounds, lived experiences and previous career paths, all contributing to an inclusive environment which promotes creative thinking and innovation," said Justin Kingsford, the chief operating officer at UKAEA.

"STEM Returners offers an excellent way for us to broaden the access into the fantastic opportunities that fusion has to offer, especially to individuals who are seeking an exciting and fresh challenge.

"We are delighted to launch this scheme at UKAEA and are looking forward to seeing it develop in the next few years."

STEM Returners will source the candidates for the UKAEA programme and provide career coaching and mentoring throughout. At the end, returners may be offered the opportunity to become permanent employees.

STEM Returners research has found that many people face challenges when returning to work following a career break, with recruitment bias against a lack of recent experience as well as gender, age and race as the main barriers.

For example, half (51%) of respondents said a perceived lack of recent experience was a barrier to entry, an increase from 38% in the 2023 STEM Returners Index and more than a quarter (26%) of women said they felt they have personally experienced bias in the recruitment process due to their gender compared to eight percent of men.

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

"There is a well-known skills shortage across the STEM sector, but despite a clear need for people, professionals who have had a career break are often overlooked.

"Only by working together will we make vital changes in recruitment practices to help those who are finding it challenging to return to the sector and improve diversity and inclusion."

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