The drive to encourage more West Country engineers to return to work after career breaks has been given a major boost thanks to international engineering company Babcock.
Partnering with the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) to launch the initiative, the highly – skilled engineering company is offering a trailblazing 13 week programme aimed at giving highly qualified and trained engineers a chance to show that taking extended time away from work is not a barrier to getting a job in 2018.
The programme is open to men and women in the Bristol and surrounding areas, who have taken a career break, as well as those that wish to transfer to a different industry sector but lack the relevant work experience.
Regional job recruitment experts are hoping the special programme will prove a breakthrough moment to plug a worrying West Country “skills gap” in the science, technology, engineering and manufacturing sectors.
Candidates signing up to the “STEM Returners” programme will join a paid 13-week structured return to work programme, which will include soft skills training, technical training and on the job experience, as well as coaching and mentoring support.
At the end of 13 weeks, job offers will be made by Babcock to those who have shown the necessary skills and aptitude to return to work.
Candidates wishing to apply have until Friday 9th February and can do so through: www.stemreturners.com/returner-registration
Jeff Lewis, Managing Director at Babcock DST said “As the first company in the South West of England to undertake this trailblazing programme, we are looking forward to partnering with IMarEST and WES. We see this as an excellent opportunity to welcome skilled engineers back into the workplace.”
Natalie Desty, Workforce Development at IMarEST added “We are so excited to be running this programme in partnership with Babcock. We know there are lots of talented and experienced candidates who have taken a career break and have faced a block to returning to industry. This programme lifts that barrier to return to a meaningful and valuable career’