Returnship programs help moms renter the workforce.
Learn where moms and women can get support, returnships, or job opportunitues to re-enter the workforce. There are a number of non-profits that provide help as well as government programs that assist. Find where a mother will get help reentering the job market, including with resume creation, new skills, job finding opportunities and more.
Research shows that women, including particular mothers, are about 12 times more likely to put their careers on hold for caregiving purposes. As re-entering the workforce after an extended absence can be challenging. Changes in technology occur rapidly, and business methods and practices often follow those advancements just as quickly.
At the heart of most of these workforce reentry efforts for moms or caregivers in general are "returnships". The programs will also go by different names and are available at companies, non-profits, and other organizations.
Essentially, they are internships for mothers as well as other mid-career professionals who have been out of the workforce for at least a year. The goal is to help people renter the job market in which they can benefit from on-the-job training and mentorship to update skills and learn the latest company procedures.
What are paid returnships?
In general, the returnship positions and programs are multiple week paid employment as well as job training opportunities. Returnships also offer opportunities to explore new areas within a chosen profession or in an entirely new field without having to accept a full-time job.
A number of small and large corporations offer them, including to single mothers or others who were caring for a loved one. Non-profits also help women find a returnship program near them or online. A previous job may no longer exist or it may function entirely differently. Returnships provide moms the chance to try different things and build upon prior experience.
Most returnships are designed with an "intent-to-hire" philosophy. Once the mom learns new skills and gets up to speed, a full time job will be offered; sometimes even working from home. There is an expectation rather than simply a possibility that the worker will receive full-time employment following the returnship.
Returnships benefit mothers, the workers and businesses. The worker earns an income, learns new skills, and develops a network of contacts while a business obtains a highly-motivated employee who already possesses valuable talent. Companies can make ultimate hiring decisions based on actual work performance rather than simply relying on a resume that contains a significant employment gap.
The best return-to-work organizations for moms offer far more than just a job board. They also offer training, peer advice and support, career development resources, resume assistance and returnship programs that help mothers as well as single moms jump-start their re-employment efforts. These are a few of the organizations that offer high paying jobs for single moms and that also prioritize assisting women seeking to regain employment.
Returnship programs for moms that help them re-enter the workforce
There are several non-profits, companies and government agencies that focus on helping women with kids get back into the job market. There is counseling, assistance with gaining new skills or career training, computer training and more. Almost all of these returnship programs lead to a paid position as well, often with benefits such as health insurance and others.
Path Forward (pathforward.org), founded in 2016, is a non-profit organization focused on helping women re-enter the workforce. The company offers various free services, including newsletters, job alerts, and professional development support. Numerous how-to webinars that cover topics such as revamping resumes, leveraging LinkedIn, improving interview techniques and how to update your skills can be viewed online.
Path Forward partners with numerous businesses to offer 16-week returnships to persons with at least five years of professional experience but who have been out of the workforce for two years or more for caregiving purposes. Since 2016, Path Forward has helped more than 100 companies launch return-to-work programs, including Walmart, Netflix, and Amazon. Path Forward claims that more than 80% of the people who completed returnships obtained full-time employment.
iRelaunch (irelaunch.com) assists mid- and senior-level female professionals, with a focus on women and mothers, who have taken extended career breaks and want to return to work. The company was founded in 2007 by two women who relaunched their careers after long career breaks. iRelaunch recognizes that Relaunchers are predominantly highly educated female workers with significant life experience who took career breaks for caregiving purposes.
The company's mission is to normalize a career path that includes a career break and to highlight this group of people as an untapped pool of talent that is uniquely experienced and extremely motivated. They also have job boards and skills training for moms.
iRelaunch works with employers to create and expand career reentry programs and has provided support and job opportunities to more than 100,000 relaunchers. Services include a variety of podcasts, blogs, and a traditional job board. The website includes a page listing more than 100 companies that offer returnship programs.
Online Return to Work Conferences as well as job fairs are held several times each year. These three-day conferences provide education and opportunities to meet employers specifically seeking professionals who have taken career breaks. Recordings of past events are also available. Even look for easy entry level jobs that pay well.
Women Back to Work (womenbacktowork.org) partners with numerous companies to help returning moms who are professionals obtain employment quickly. WBW provides tips, advice, mentorship, and other services without charge to female returnees, including an online "Return-To-Work Guide for Professionals." The guide offers assistance on such topics as structuring returner resumes, how to network, preparing questions to ask at interviews, and creating a LinkedIn profile.
WBW offers webinars and workshops on various topics, from personal branding and using social media effectively to interviewing and resume development. In addition to a general job search page, WBW's website includes a dedicated returnship page featuring information from and about WBW's premiere partners and what they offer.
There are also resources dedicated to different career opportunities for women. WBW's Power Hour is a weekly online presentation targeted toward women who desire careers in the tech industry. This can also lead to remote, at home jobs as well as free coding classes. Taking place on Tuesdays, topics have included "5 Back-To Work Strategies," A Mother's Journey and Having It All," and "Learn to Love Your Career Gap." Anyone is invited to join in the presentation free of charge. Locate free non-profit online coding classes.
WBW's free mentoring program, Be Her Ally, connects women with tech professionals who share advice on current skill trends, practice mock interviews, and give tips for technical interviews. The mentoring can be a great program for moms with more entry level skills or who lack an education.
reacHIRE (reachire.com) employs a philosophy that a career break should not be a career breaker. The non-profit company provides women with the training, coaching, return-ship opportunities and peer support to successfully re-enter the workplace. The goal is to help professionals who have taken a career break of 2-plus years to return to the workforce with confidence. Services are provided for free.
An online resource center contains expert guides and tips. A free Resume Toolkit provides expert guidance, easy-to-use tips, and effective ways to explain career gaps. Live and on-demand virtual training are available during every step of the return-to-work process.
The reacHIRE returnship program provides each person with a dedicated program manager and training and support from a community of returning professionals. The company has partnered with numerous businesses, including T-Mobile, Boston Scientific, Wayfair, and Fidelity Investments to help women resume employment.
Businesses offering returnships to women
Businesses have been creating returnship programs that focus on helping moms for more than a decade, and the effort continues to expand. While returnships can be arranged through many of the organizations previously mentioned, returning mothers or caregivers can also contact businesses directly to inquire about the availability and details of their programs.
Goldman Sachs launched a 12-week returnship program in 2008. Applicants, including moms, had to be out of the workforce for more than two years. The requirement has since been reduced to one year due partly to the pandemic. Out of about 1,000 annual applicants, 25-30 obtain returnships, and about 75% are eventually offered full-time employment.
Wells Fargo instituted its Glide Relaunch program in November 2020. Initially, the program was completely virtual and provided mothers the ability to work from home. Persons had to have at least seven years of prior employment and two or more years out of the workforce. Out of 836 applicants, 34 people were selected. During the eight-week program, mothers were paid $40 per hour. The salaries for the full-time positions eventually offered to mom were at least $100,000.
Accenture offers a 16-week returnship to female technology professionals who have been out of the workforce for at least 18 months. Amazon and Intuit also offer 16-week programs to moms JPMorgan Chase started its ReEntry Program to assist experienced professionals who took a career break of at least two years.
Microsoft's Leap Apprenticeship Program is designed for mothers and others with some technical training and includes a component for reentering the workforce. Morgan Stanley's Return to Work initiative is a paid 12-week program for people whose careers are fluid and do not follow a traditional path.
Other resources for mothers to find returnships or help getting back into the workforce
Fairygodboss (fairygodboss.com), established in 2015, is essentially a social network for women as well as moms seeking to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence. In addition to job listings as well as returnship, the website features blogs, webinars, a daily newsletter, and other resources. Members can attend virtual career fairs, learn about companies that want to hire women and obtain advice and support from peers and experts. All services are provided for free.
American Job Centers is another free useful resource to search for jobs, find training for mothers, and get answers to employment-related questions. There are more than 2,000 government run AJCs nationwide, with many returnship, job training for mothers and work re-entry programs. The website includes a Worker Re-employment page that offers a step-by-step guide on returning to work after a layoff. While not focused exclusively on women, this resource offers a roadmap to guide your job-seeking journey.
In addition to employment, the website provides valuable information on healthcare, housing, financial issues, dealing with stress, etc. A special section is dedicated to veterans. For more information, go to www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/AmericanJobCenters.
Programs do help moms re-enter the job market and get new skills
While women who are starting families make up a large percentage of those who temporarily put their careers on hold, there are many other important and legitimate reasons people may choose to take a work break. These include military service, personal health issues, taking sabbaticals, and pursuing personal interests. Whether the break lasts for 12 months or 12 years, when the time is right to resume a career, plenty of resources are available to women and in particular moms that provide guidance, support, and career opportunities.
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