Global diagnostics manufacturer Randox has launched an initiative to help bring more talented women and men back into the workforce.

Randox Returners has been developed to support professionals who have had a career break for three years or more. The six-month paid scheme gives people the chance to transition back into a working environment without the pressure of taking on a permanent role. Returners will be given the opportunity to work on real-time projects, upgrade their skills and increase their confidence.

Successful candidates will embark on a six-month programme, where they will go through a comprehensive week-long induction and be assigned a personal mentor. As well as the chance of flexible working where possible, there is also the opportunity for the position to become permanent at the end of the scheme.

Linda Magee, Global Head of HR at Randox, said:

“With a returner scheme like this, everyone benefits. In order for us to continually develop and innovate, we need to build teams with ambitious, skilled and dedicated people; and we know there are talented people outside the workforce who want to come back. STEM industries in particular lose highly skilled women, and when you consider this is then combined with an under-representation of women to begin with, it’s clear that action is needed.

“Traditional recruitment methods can be a barrier, with misinformed perceptions about career breaks. We want to challenge this, because we know people can gain new, valuable skills during time away from traditional work. We hope that by offering this programme we’ll appeal to these motivated and experienced people.

“We also want to make sure that once they’ve taken that first step, the experience of being back in work is a positive one. That’s why we’ll provide an extended induction, select a mentor and offer opportunities to improve people’s skills and boost their confidence. It matters to us that our teams succeed, because we depend on them.”

Randox Financial Accountant Michelle Bradley returned to work after a ten-year break to bring up her children.

“Coming back to work after being away for so long was really daunting: the first job I applied for was a much lesser role than ones I had done previously.  What impressed me about Randox initially was that they didn’t put me in that role, because there was a role for a more experienced person coming up. When I interviewed for that a month later, I was delighted to get it.

“It was an enormous help to have a mentor, even though it wasn’t an official role then. Bob was very friendly and supportive as I learned a new accounting programme, and that meant my confidence grew quickly. When I needed help to juggle family responsibilities I found Randox understood that, and I’ve now been here over three years.”

Maureen  O’Reilly, NI Chamber of Commerce Economist said:

“We are very pleased to welcome the Randox Returners initiative. It is great to see such a positive and practical initiative from the private sector and particularly one focused on encouraging more highly-skilled people back into the workforce.

“I can’t stress how critical this is for an economy like Northern Ireland. We have the highest economic inactivity rate across the UK regions – around 1 in 4 people who could work in Northern Ireland don’t, around 27% in NI compared to around 18% in the south of England.

“Businesses here are currently facing a skills shortage when recruiting for all types of positions, particularly at the senior end of the scale. A CV gap shouldn’t mean the end of the career. Employers are now having to be more flexible, and should recognise that returners can contribute significantly to society and the economy.”

For further information on the Randox Returners programme please visit www.randox.com/randox-returners

Alternatively you can contact Randox PR on 028 9442 2413 or email RandoxPR@randox.com