Mott MacDonald and STEM Returners have launched the second phase of their 2025 programme to help engineers who have taken a career break re-enter the workforce.

The STEM Returners programme provides those on the scheme with paid work experience and mentorship, with the opportunity to become permanent employees at the end of the programme.

Addressing the Skills Gap

The new roles, which include civil engineers, electrical engineers, and project control engineers, will be based at Mott MacDonald offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as four locations in England and Wales. The scheme aims to address the UK's demand for 124,000 new engineers and technicians annually.

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Research from the STEM Returners Index highlights the barriers faced by those returning to work, including recruitment bias based on a perceived lack of recent experience (cited by 51% of respondents) as well as gender, age, and race. More than a quarter (26%) of women reported personally experiencing gender bias during the recruitment process.

Sarah Hodgkiss, Talent Acquisition Lead at Mott MacDonald, said supporting professionals back into their careers is not only the "right thing to do," but is also "vital for building the diverse, inclusive and innovative workforce we need for the future".

Natalie Desty, who formed STEM Returners in 2017, noted that there is a "hidden workforce that can fill those roles immediately if they are given the chance", adding that a career break "does not mean a career end." Since 2017, the organisation has helped more than 600 people return to work across the UK.

To view STEM Returners' opportunities, visit stemreturners.com/live-programmes/