Launched on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the new initiative will help people back into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based careers.
The scheme – backed by £150,000 of Government funding – will be run by Women Returners and STEM Returners and will target those who have taken lengthy career breaks to care for others, giving them the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
Between 2009 and 2020 there was an almost 30% increase in girls starting STEM A-levels in England, and between 2011 and 2020, the number of women accepted to full-time STEM undergraduate courses increased by 50.1% in the UK. But in 2020 women only made up 29.4% of the STEM workforce in the UK.
According to the UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey 2013, 43% of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) vacancies are hard to fill. But there were approximately 75,000 people who were economically inactive due to caring responsibilities, had not worked for at least 12 months, had a STEM occupation immediately before their career break, and would like to return to work in the future. The majority of these potential returners are women.
Speaking about the initiative, Minister for Women and Equalities, and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch MP, said, “I learned how to code at the age of seven and trained as an engineer, so I know the importance of science to our economy.
“In the last decade we have seen more girls studying STEM subjects at school and university, but we know that too many women later drop out of those careers because they need to care for children or elderly relatives.
“We are investing in returners so we can plug the STEM gap, increase workplace equality, and boost our economy. That’s good business sense.”
Women Returners, experts in return to work consulting, coaching and networking, will support parents and carers back into the workplace through personalised employability support, sector-specific refresh training, and work opportunities.
The STEM ReCharge pilot will provide support and training to technology and engineering returners in the Midlands and the North of England. It will also provide support and training for STEM employers on supportive returner hiring and inclusive recruitment practices.
Julianne Miles, CEO of Women Returners, said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Government Equality Hub and STEM Returners to launch the innovative STEM ReCharge programme in the Midlands and the North of England. “
“There is a pressing need in these regions to provide this job-readiness support tailored to parents and carers returning to STEM, together with training for STEM employers to create more supported routes back to work for career returners.”
“We’re confident that this comprehensive programme of support will help to accelerate the removal of the career break penalty in the UK.”
Ilianzishwa siku ya kimataifa ya wanawake na wasichana katika sayansi, mpango huu mpya utasaidia watu kurudi kwenye kazi za sayansi, teknolojia, uhandisi na hisabati (STEM). Mpango huo, unaofadhiliwa na £ 150,000 ya ufadhili wa Serikali, utaendeshwa na Wanawake Wanarudi na Wanarudi STEM na utawalenga wale ambao wamechukua mapumziko marefu ya kazi ili kutunza wengine, kuwapa ujuzi wanaohitaji kufanikiwa mahali pa kazi. Kati ya mwaka 2009 na 2020, kulikuwa na ongezeko la karibu 30% la wasichana wanaoanza masomo ya A-levels ya STEM nchini Uingereza, na kati ya mwaka 2011 na 2020, idadi ya wanawake waliokubaliwa katika kozi za shahada ya kwanza ya STEM za wakati wote iliongezeka kwa 50.1% nchini Uingereza. Mwaka 2020, wanawake walikuwa asilimia 29.4 tu ya wafanyakazi wa STEM nchini Uingereza. Kulingana na utafiti wa Tume ya Uingereza ya Uajiri wa Ujuzi wa 2013 (EQS), 43% ya nafasi za kazi za sayansi, teknolojia, uhandisi na hisabati (STEM) ni ngumu kujaza. Watu 75,000 walikuwa hawana kazi kwa sababu ya wajibu wa utunzaji, hawakufanya kazi kwa angalau miezi 12, walikuwa na kazi ya STEM kabla ya mapumziko yao ya kazi, na wangependa kurudi kufanya kazi katika siku zijazo. Wengi wa wale wanaoweza kurudi ni wanawake. "Kama Waziri wa Wanawake na Usawa na Katibu wa Serikali ya Biashara na Biashara, Kemi Bedenkova alisema: ""Nimejifunza jinsi ya kuandika programu nilipokuwa na umri wa miaka saba na nilichaguliwa kuwa mhandisi, kwa hivyo najua umuhimu wa sayansi kwa uchumi wetu." Katika muongo uliopita tumeona wasichana wengi wakisoma masomo ya STEM shuleni na chuo kikuu, lakini tunajua kwamba wanawake wengi baadaye huacha kazi hizo kwa sababu wanahitaji kutunza watoto au jamaa wazee. <unk>Tunawekeza katika kurudi ili tuweze kuziba pengo la STEM, kuongeza usawa wa mahali pa kazi, na kukuza uchumi wetu. Wanawake Returners, wataalamu katika kurudi kwa ushauri wa kazi, kufundisha na kuunganisha, wataunga mkono wazazi na watunzaji kurudi kwenye mahali pa kazi kupitia msaada wa kibinafsi wa kuajiriwa, mafunzo ya sekta maalum, na fursa za kazi. Mfano wa STEM Recharge utatoa msaada na mafunzo kwa teknolojia na uhandisi wa kurudi katika Midlands na Kaskazini mwa Uingereza. Pia itatoa msaada na mafunzo kwa waajiri wa STEM juu ya kuajiri msaada wa kurudi na mazoea ya kuajiri ya umoja. "Julianne Miles, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa Wanawake Returners, alisema, ""Tunafurahi kushirikiana na Kituo cha Usawa cha Serikali na STEM Returners kuzindua programu ya ubunifu ya STEM Recharge katika Midlands na Kaskazini mwa Uingereza." "Kuna haja ya haraka katika mikoa hii ya kutoa msaada huu wa utayari wa kazi kwa wazazi na watunzaji wanaorudi STEM, pamoja na mafunzo kwa waajiri wa STEM kuunda njia zaidi za msaada kurudi kazini kwa wale wanaorudi kazi. ""Tunaamini kwamba programu hii ya kina ya msaada itasaidia kuharakisha kuondolewa kwa adhabu ya kuacha kazi nchini Uingereza."