Leidos Create Helps Women Return to STEM Roles in the UK
Leidos has partnered with Career Returners in the UK to launch Leidos Create, a program supporting experienced STEM professionals returning to work after 2-12 years away. The initiative aims to remove the career break penalty for women who took extended breaks for family or caring reasons. The program focuses on roles in information systems, project management, supply chain and logistics, commercial and contracts, and risk and compliance.
Two success stories are highlighted: Kay Mercer, who returned as a supply chain analyst after 23 years, and Ajay Sahota, who transitioned to a benefits realisation manager role after a 10-year break. Both women received training, support, and flexible working arrangements. The program offers coaching sessions on self-introduction, goal-setting, networking, and career planning.
Leidos ha collaborato con Career Returners nel Regno Unito per lanciare Leidos Create, un programma che supporta i professionisti esperti nel settore STEM che tornano al lavoro dopo 2-12 anni di assenza. L'iniziativa mira a rimuovere la penalizzazione della carriera per le donne che hanno preso pause prolungate per motivi familiari o di assistenza. Il programma si concentra su ruoli in sistemi informativi, gestione progetti, catena di fornitura e logistica, commerciale e contratti, e rischi e conformità.
Due storie di successo sono evidenziate: Kay Mercer, che è tornata come analista della catena di fornitura dopo 23 anni, e Ajay Sahota, che ha fatto il passaggio a un ruolo di manager per la realizzazione dei benefici dopo una pausa di 10 anni. Entrambe le donne hanno ricevuto formazione, supporto e modalità di lavoro flessibili. Il programma offre sessioni di coaching su auto-presentazione, fissazione degli obiettivi, networking e pianificazione della carriera.
Leidos se ha asociado con Career Returners en el Reino Unido para lanzar Leidos Create, un programa que apoya a profesionales experimentados en STEM que regresan al trabajo después de estar ausentes de 2 a 12 años. La iniciativa tiene como objetivo eliminar la penalización por pausa en la carrera para las mujeres que tomaron pausas prolongadas por razones familiares o de cuidado. El programa se centra en roles en sistemas de información, gestión de proyectos, cadena de suministro y logística, comercial y contratos, y riesgos y cumplimiento.
Se destacan dos historias de éxito: Kay Mercer, que regresó como analista de cadena de suministro después de 23 años, y Ajay Sahota, quien pasó a un rol de gerente de realización de beneficios tras un descanso de 10 años. Ambas mujeres recibieron formación, apoyo y opciones de trabajo flexible. El programa ofrece sesiones de coaching sobre auto-presentación, establecimiento de objetivos, networking y planificación de carrera.
Leidos는 영국의 Career Returners와 협력하여 Leidos Create를 출시했습니다. 이 프로그램은 경험이 풍부한 STEM 전문가들이 2-12년 동안의 휴직 후 직장으로 복귀하는 것을 지원합니다. 이 이니셔티브의 목표는 가족이나 돌봄을 위해 장기적인 휴식을 취한 여성들에게 경력 단절 패널티를 없애는 것입니다. 프로그램은 정보 시스템, 프로젝트 관리, 공급망 및 물류, 상업 및 계약, 리스크 및 규정 준수 분야의 역할에 중점을 둡니다.
두 명의 성공 사례가 강조되었습니다: Kay Mercer는 23년 만에 공급망 분석가로 복귀했고, Ajay Sahota는 10년의 휴직 후 혜택 실현 관리자 역할로 전환했습니다. 두 여성은 교육, 지원 및 유연한 근무 형태를 받았습니다. 프로그램은 자기 소개, 목표 설정, 네트워킹 및 경력 계획에 대한 코칭 세션을 제공합니다.
Leidos s'est associé à Career Returners au Royaume-Uni pour lancer Leidos Create, un programme soutenant des professionnels expérimentés en STEM qui reviennent au travail après 2 à 12 ans d'absence. L'initiative vise à supprimer la penalité de pause de carrière pour les femmes qui ont pris de longues pauses pour des raisons familiales ou de soins. Le programme se concentre sur des rôles en systèmes d'information, gestion de projet, chaîne d'approvisionnement et logistique, commercial et contrats, ainsi que risques et conformité.
Deux histoires de réussite sont mises en avant : Kay Mercer, qui est revenue en tant qu'analyste de la chaîne d'approvisionnement après 23 ans, et Ajay Sahota, qui a changé pour un poste de responsable de la réalisation des bénéfices après une pause de 10 ans. Les deux femmes ont bénéficié d'une formation, d'un soutien et d'aménagements de travail flexibles. Le programme propose des sessions de coaching sur l'auto-présentation, la définition des objectifs, le réseautage et la planification de carrière.
Leidos hat sich mit Career Returners im Vereinigten Königreich zusammengeschlossen, um Leidos Create zu starten, ein Programm, das erfahrene STEM-Professionals unterstützt, die nach 2-12 Jahren aus dem Berufsleben zurückkehren. Ziel der Initiative ist es, die Karriereunterbrechungsstrafe für Frauen zu beseitigen, die längere Pausen aus familiären oder Pflegegründen genommen haben. Das Programm konzentriert sich auf Rollen in Informationssystemen, Projektmanagement, Lieferkette und Logistik, kommerziellen Angelegenheiten und Verträgen sowie Risiko und Compliance.
Es werden zwei Erfolgsgeschichten hervorgehoben: Kay Mercer, die nach 23 Jahren als Analystin in der Lieferkette zurückkehrte, und Ajay Sahota, die nach einer 10-jährigen Pause in eine Rolle als Managerin für Nutzenrealisierung wechselte. Beide Frauen erhielten Schulungen, Unterstützung und flexible Arbeitsbedingungen. Das Programm bietet Coaching-Sitzungen zu Selbstvorstellung, Zielsetzung, Networking und Karriereplanung an.
- Access to a highly skilled talent pool of women looking to resume their careers
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements offered to returning professionals
- Comprehensive training and support provided to help returners adjust to the workplace
- Opportunity to fill roles in key areas like information systems, project management, and supply chain
- None.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 20, 2024 / Leidos
In the UK, Leidos has partnered with Career Returners (formerly known as Women Returners), a free network community of over 8,500 professionals looking to return to the workplace, to launch Leidos Create.
Leidos Create was developed to support experienced STEM professionals in the Southwest of the UK who have been out of the employment market for 2-12 years return to skilled roles. The objective was to remove a common bias in the recruitment process: the career break penalty for women who have undertaken extended breaks to look after their families or other caring reasons.
Through our partnership with Career Returners, Leidos has accessed a highly skilled talent pool of women employees looking to resume their professional careers-particularly those with backgrounds in information systems, project management, supply chain and logistics, commercial and contracts, and risk and compliance.
Kay Mercer and Ajay Sahota are two professionals who found a new home at Leidos through the programme. Their candid stories and advice offer inspiration to other women looking to return to work.
Finding confidence to re-enter the workforce
After 23 years away from a full-time career, a period in which children were born, raised, and now starting careers of their own, Kay Mercer wanted to get back into the workplace. Starting her career as a programming analyst and later working in IT service delivery, Kay worried the skills she'd developed in her earlier career were no longer relevant. She lacked the confidence to apply for most jobs and spent months trawling the internet hoping she'd find something that might work.
"Most of the jobs were either too basic for what I was looking for, like admin data entry, or too high brow, where I'd need to project manage a team or something like that. I remember thinking, ‘gosh, I can't do that.'"
Kay was struggling to find something in between where she'd also benefit from the support she needed to go back into work.
"I just didn't have the confidence to turn up at work and get started again," she explained.
Kay recognised she hadn't done a formal interview for some time and was worried her lack of practice might impact her job prospects. This, combined with no experience of remote working platforms like Microsoft Teams, felt like a barrier she'd struggle to overcome.
Fortunately for Kay, she discovered the training Career Returners offers, both for interviews and in the new ways of working that emerged after the pandemic. This led to a role with Leidos as a supply chain analyst.
The flexible, hybrid nature of the role at Leidos, Kay quickly discovered, was also a major draw. "My manager enables me to work flexibly from home and from the office through Leidos' dynamic working programme; this has been a huge help with the adjustment."
Beyond the flexibility, Kay also credits the team she's joined as helping her find her feet and regain the confidence she'd previously lacked.
My manager has been incredibly supportive. I have a one-to-one chat with him every week, and he supports me with training opportunities and is always happy to answer my questions.
Kay Mercer
Supply Chain Analyst, Leidos UK & Europe
Pivoting to a different industry
Ajay Sahota had the "perfect start" to her career. After graduating with a degree in food technology, she landed a job with Nestlé based in India. When she was ready for a change, Ajay emigrated to the U.K. and found she had to start from scratch. Fortunately, she found roles as a technical manager in her industry.
But after having three children in quick succession, Ajay decided to take a career break. "It was the best decision I made in my life," she says.
To maintain her expertise and stay current, she started a consultancy business with her husband, which also gave her flexibility while raising a growing family. After a decade of success, COVID-19 struck. "This pause gave me the opportunity to rethink my future and its direction," she reflects.
With her kids in a more independent stage and a desire to pivot to a different industry, Ajay decided to enroll in an MBA program at Imperial College, London. Graduating in 2023, Ajay decided now was her opportunity to return to the corporate world.
Despite her impressive qualifications and experience, Ajay struggled to find her next challenge. "People just see that 10-year gap, even though I was working - I wasn't not working at all."
Ajay spoke of the challenges of breaking into a new industry. "I would still get offers for technical manager roles in the food industry. But I didn't want to go back to that role. I wanted to leverage my MBA and move into a different sector."
Eventually, a family friend recommended the Career Returners programme, which is how she first came across Leidos. Unsure where she would fit best, Ajay worked with Leidos' hiring manager after months of applying for roles and getting knocked back.
"She was very forthcoming and helpful, understanding that I was returning to work and recognising my need for additional support," Ajay shares. "She could see how my skills, acquired over my career, fit into a role they had available, even though I hadn't applied for that position.
Together, they decided that her skills fit the role of a benefits realisation manager.
You might not realise how relevant your skills are, and it can be challenging to effectively market them yourself.
Ajay Sahota
Benefits Realisation Manager, Leidos UK & Europe
Training and resources for returning to the workplace
Ajay explains the type of training she received through the Career Returners programme - both before she started at Leidos and while she settles into her new role - consisted of four coaching sessions.
The first, Ajay says, is how to introduce yourself. "It's really an icebreaker. When you come back, you don't know how much to say, and how much to dwell on. How do you let people know who you are?" Ajay hints that this was the moment she started regaining her confidence.
The second session helps participants identify goals and career paths, while the third focuses on networking to ensure professional development. Ajay is looking forward to her fourth session on celebrating achievements and action planning for the future.
Kay feels the training Leidos offers - helping her learn new skills and continue her professional development - has been essential. "I don't know if it's this way at other companies nowadays but compared to my previous employers, it's been incredible."
But it's the friendship she forged with Ajay through Career Returners that really helped Kay.
"We swapped numbers, and we message from time to time, checking on each other and seeing how the other one is getting on," Kay shares. "It's important because you've got someone going through the same thing as you, and I've really appreciated that extra source of support."
Ajay is grateful for the support she has received along the way and spoke fondly of Kay, her fellow returner, and her colleagues who she now considers friends. "People do help, you just have to have the courage to ask for it and say you need it," she admits.
When asked what advice she'd give to other women considering returning to work after a career break, Kay offers some useful pointers.
"I think it's about being brave enough to try it. Also, when you start, be kind to yourself and don't expect too much too early. You're always going to feel a lot of pressure, pressure to be doing more or learning quicker, but really, you need to recognise that it's a process and one you're more than capable of completing."
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FAQ
What is Leidos Create and how does it support women returning to STEM roles?
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