Amidst the scramble to fill vacancies in the energy and defense sectors, thousands of highly skilled individuals are sitting on the sidelines of the workforce. These are professionals who have already undergone rigorous training, earned their qualifications, and accumulated years of on-the-job experience. However, due to career breaks, redundancies, or the complexities of navigating life changes, they find themselves unable to re-enter the industries they once helped build. Natalie Desty, the founder of STEM Returners, is currently leading a high-profile crusade to change this dynamic, arguing that the solution to Britain’s skills gap is not just about looking forward to the youth, but looking back at those the industry has prematurely discarded.
Desty’s insights are born from years spent in the trenches of engineering recruitment. During her tenure, she observed a recurring and frustrating pattern: perfectly capable candidates were being systematically filtered out of the recruitment process because their resumes did not adhere to a traditional, linear format. In an era where automated recruitment software and rigid HR protocols often prioritize "neat" CVs over actual capability, any gap in employment—regardless of the reason—can become an insurmountable barrier. Desty witnessed firsthand how the industry was effectively turning its back on a wealth of expertise at a time when it could least afford to do so.
The scale of this untapped potential is staggering. Desty recalls a pivotal moment about a year before she launched STEM Returners, during a Women’s Engineering Society conference. A speaker noted that there are approximately 75,000 people in the UK who have left STEM careers but would eagerly return if a viable pathway existed. This figure represents a massive loss of national investment. These are individuals in whom the state and private companies have already invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in education and training, yet their skills are currently providing zero return to the economy.
A significant portion of this missing workforce is comprised of women, highlighting a systemic failure in how the engineering and technology sectors manage mid-career retention. According to Desty, 46% of the returners she works with are women, a figure that stands in stark contrast to the wider engineering industry, where women make up only about 12% of the workforce. The reasons for this exodus are often rooted in the intersection of professional life and family responsibilities. Caring for children or elderly relatives remains the primary reason people step away from their roles, and the industry’s historical lack of flexibility has forced many to choose between their careers and their families.
Desty points to a specific "retention issue" that plagues women in the middle stages of their careers. Many of these professionals would have stayed in their roles had they been provided with a more supportive and flexible environment. Instead, many felt a sense of guilt, as if their need for a different work-life balance was "letting the company down." This cultural pressure often leads to a clean break from the industry, which many assume will be temporary. A woman might step away intending to return in six months or a year, only to find that the "CV gap" has become a stigma that keeps them out for five years or more. The longer the break, the harder the climb back becomes, as confidence wanes and the industry evolves.
To bridge this divide, STEM Returners facilitates supported placements that allow employers to see what a candidate can actually do, rather than judging them solely on their recent employment history. This model acts as a "working interview," providing a low-risk environment for both the employer and the returner to reintegrate. The results have been remarkably successful. To date, the program has helped approximately 700 people return to the workforce, with a staggering 96% of them securing permanent roles at the end of their placements. This success rate suggests that the perceived "rustiness" of returners is largely a myth; once given the opportunity, these professionals quickly prove their value.
However, the implications of these returner programs extend far beyond individual career success. They are increasingly being recognized as a vital mechanism for the "transfer of learning" across different industrial sectors. As the global energy transition accelerates, the UK is seeing a massive shift away from traditional fossil fuels toward renewables, nuclear power, and carbon-capture technologies. A returner program allows for the cross-pollination of skills. For instance, a mechanical design engineer who spent two decades in the oil and gas sector possesses a deep understanding of complex systems, safety protocols, and project management that is directly applicable to the offshore wind or nuclear industries.
By pivoting these existing skills, the UK can more rapidly scale its green energy infrastructure. Rather than waiting three to five years for a new graduate to become fully proficient, companies can bring in a returner who already understands the fundamentals of engineering and simply needs to adapt their knowledge to a new context. This transferability is particularly crucial in high-stakes sectors like defense engineering, where the skills gap is especially pronounced. Taking experienced professionals from rail, automotive, or aerospace and integrating them into defense or energy projects creates a more resilient and versatile national workforce.
Desty argues that for the UK to truly solve its skills crisis, it must formalize a "fourth pathway" into industry. Currently, the national strategy focuses heavily on three routes: apprenticeships for those starting out, graduate schemes for university leavers, and reskilling programs for those changing careers entirely. What is missing is a dedicated, recognized pathway for the experienced professionals who have left the workforce but wish to return. This "fourth pathway" would treat returners as a distinct and valuable demographic, acknowledging that their previous experience is a national asset that must be reclaimed.
Furthermore, the benefits of bringing back experienced professionals trickle down to the younger generation. The industry cannot fill its talent gap through early-career routes alone, primarily because young workers require guidance and mentorship. A workforce dominated by junior employees lacks the institutional memory and seasoned judgment that only comes with years of experience. By bringing mid-career professionals back into the fold, companies also secure mentors who can help develop and shape the graduates and apprentices coming through the pipeline. This creates a balanced ecosystem where the energy and digital fluency of the youth are tempered and guided by the wisdom and technical depth of veterans.
The argument for returners is, as Desty puts it, a "no-brainer" from both an economic and social perspective. It addresses the gender imbalance in STEM, maximizes previous educational investments, facilitates the transition to a Net Zero economy, and provides the necessary mentorship for the next generation. As the UK continues to grapple with the challenges of a rapidly changing industrial landscape, the focus must expand. While the engineers of tomorrow are essential, the engineers of today—who are currently sitting at home waiting for a way back in—are perhaps the most immediate and effective solution to the nation’s skills shortage.
The conversation around these systemic changes is gaining traction, particularly as industry leaders realize that traditional recruitment methods are failing to meet the demands of the modern world. Natalie Desty’s work with STEM Returners serves as a blueprint for how a more inclusive, flexible, and common-sense approach to hiring can unlock hidden potential. By removing the stigma of the career break and focusing on the enduring value of expertise, the UK can ensure that its most valuable resource—its people—is never truly lost to the industry. The full scope of this challenge and the potential solutions were discussed in depth by Desty on the Net Hero Podcast, highlighting a growing movement to redefine what a successful career path looks like in the 21st century.
