Domino backs campaign to woo STEM returners back to manufacturing

As part of the programme, Domino will liaise with STEM Returners to help four people return to STEM work as part of a structured 12-week placement at its site in Cambridge.

The STEM Returners Index has found that many people face challenges when returning to work following a career break, with recruitment bias against gender, age and race, shown to be the main barriers to entry. For example, nearly a quarter of women feel they have personally experienced bias in recruitment processes due to their gender compared to nine per cent of men.

STEM Returners’ programmes aim to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to adjust to life back in work.

The organisation will source the candidates for the Domino programme and provide career coaching and mentoring throughout the paid placement. At the end of the programme, returners may be offered the opportunity to become permanent employees.

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

“There is a well-known skills shortage in the manufacturing industry, 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.”

Andy Clifton, Chief Technical Officer at Domino, added: “At Domino, we celebrate diversity and strive to be a great place to work for everyone, that's why we’re delighted to be partnering with STEM Returners and look forward to meeting skilled and curious individuals who are keen to progress their STEM career.

“We recognise that everyone has their own path, and we'd love to help people harness their prior experience to return to their technical roots and reignite their expertise and ambitions within technical roles at Domino.”

The programme is open to anyone on a career break.

• Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 500 candidates have joined programmes across the UK. To view STEM Returners’ opportunities, visit https://www.stemreturners.com/placements/