Upskilling, career transition or accelerator, and return programs. Options for women pursuing a career in STEMM are growing. But do you know what companies are offering these programs and where to apply?
We asked 24 Endorsed Employers for All Women from different industries what initiatives they have in place for facilitating women interested in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) into a job or to accelerate their careers.
From paid return to work and development programs, up/reskilling initiatives in partnership with education providers, to transition career pathways for STEMM roles, these companies are seriously investing in attracting and hiring more women. You will be happily surprised by the level of support these employers are offering. So don’t hesitate to apply!
Get inspired!
Contents: Career Change | Upskilling | Reskilling | Career transition | Return to work – industry | Career development – Career accelerator | Fairer Recruitment | Have more questions?
Career change
SheDares by AWS (Amazon Web Services)
SheDares is a free, online learning program that aims to inspire professional women to consider a career in the technology industry, and show them pathways to follow. The program is specially designed for women seeking to change careers, returning to the workforce, or not currently working in the tech industry. SheDares is run in collaboration with The Dream Collective. Find a job with AWS
Get inspired!
Electrical Apprenticeship by TransGrid
For women considering a career change or entering in the energy industry, this program offers an opportunity to be certified and eligible to apply for a technical role at TransGrid. You will learn how to install, maintain and commission high voltage and low voltage equipment, as well as how to perform fault finding tasks. Once you successfully complete the apprenticeship, you will receive a Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician. Find a job with TransGrid
Upskilling
Campus Recruiting by Atlassian
“With the goal of educating, up-skilling, and empowering women to pursue a career in tech, Atlassian sponsors five women in tech student societies across Australia and New Zealand. These partnerships range from running keynote events to panel discussions and workshops. The company also provides mentorship through the UNSW Women in Tech’s Empowerment Mentoring Program as well as ‘New Wave’ – a women founders university club.”
Louise Smith | Leader in the Talent Acquisition team at Atlassian
Get inspired!
CodeClan by Lloyds Banking Group
In partnership with a Scottish-based digital skills academy CodeClan, the Edinburgh talent hub provides coding bootcamps for employees looking to improve their engineering and data skills. In addition, Lloyds Banking Group runs two internal initiatives: a coding club called WeCode@LBG, which aims to support those who want to change careers and step into the tech world without being overwhelmed; and Women ConnecTech, who are focused on bringing together and growing the community of women in technology across LBG via workshops, events, training, and technical mentorships. Find a job with Lloyds Banking Group
Reskilling
Generation Australia by Accenture
Generation Australia and Accenture co-created a Cloud Practitioner reskilling program for adults who want to start a career in tech as soon as possible. It includes technical training provided by Academy Xi combined with hands-on projects and employability skills development at no cost. Hiring 20 people from the Generation cohort over the next year is Accenture’s commitment. Find a job with Accenture
Get inspired!
.png "LloydsBankingGroup_WOMENINSTEMM_Attracting and hiring more women into STEMM (2)")
Find a job with Lloyds Banking Group
Return to work – industry
STEMM returners by BAE Systems
By offering 12-week paid internships and the possibility of being hired upon completion, this program supports professional candidates with STEMM backgrounds after extended career breaks and/or those wishing to transfer their skills to a new industry. Find a job with BAE Systems
Return to Work Program by Deloitte
With a flexible work schedule between Monday to Thursday, this program supports those re-entering the workplace after an extended career break, such as caring for their family, their own health or other personal reasons. Participants undergo a structured induction and training program to ensure a smooth transition back into work. This is coupled with tailored learning and development within a specific business area, plus any technical training they may require once they’re back on the job. Find a job with Deloitte
Get inspired!
Find a job with Mott MacDonald
Skilling Queenslanders for Work (Queensland Government) by Cummins
As part of the Certificate II class, Cummins’ mentors and provides work experience for post-secondary school women looking to return to the workforce or transitioning to a different field. It involves a hands-on opportunity in one of their branches to know what it is like to work in automotive applications and what to expect. Find a job with Cummins
Part-time opportunities by CGI
One of the biggest barriers for women’s entry or return into the workforce is the lack of part-time roles available in the tech industry. CGI realized they have plenty of existing employees working part-time, but rarely advertised for new part-time positions.
To eliminate the barrier, the company introduced a simple and effective process by adding “Can this role be done part-time or job share?” in the application process. Although this initiative it’s not a program, it gives you the opportunity to apply for a role that suits your personal needs. Find a job with CGI
Get inspired!
Re-connectors program by Mott MadDonald UK
Open to anybody who has taken a career break, as well as those who wish to change sectors but lack the relevant work experience, this program provides a paid placement for six months to work on high-profile projects. The Re:Connectors program aims to offer returners a permanent position if the placement is successful. Find a job with Mott MadDonald UK
Balance initiative by CSIRO
Career breaks are common and should not disadvantage anyone. The CSIRO Balance initiative recognizes career breaks like parental leave or working part-time, and it uses FTEY –a quantitative measure of time in cumulative years of employment– to understand an individual’s performance relative to opportunity, for example, in recruitment and promotion, and for grant and award applications. Find a job with CSIRO
Career transition
Female Talent Development Program by BHP
BHP’s Digital Factories initiative creates alternative pathways into digital development for women. Now extended to a partnership with the She Codes Plus program, it’s offered on a part-time basis, outside of business hours, making it perfect for full-time workers or women returning to the workforce. Over a year, their Digital Factories team has grown to be 63% women, led by a leadership team that is 2/3 made up of women and with people from 12 nationalities. Find a job with BHP
Tech Connect Program by J.P. Morgan
Designed for those without formal training or education in computer science or software engineering, Tech Connect is accelerated training for aspiring software engineers. This full-time, multi-week program teaches participants how to code in a supportive and collaborative environment, whilst also instilling the soft skills needed for careers in software engineering. Find a job with J.P. Morgan
Get inspired!
Find a job with Clear Dynamics
Software Engineer Immersion Program by J.P. Morgan
This program is for those interested in software development and who might not otherwise consider a career in technology within the financial services sector. It exposes participants to nine weeks of world-renowned training, including hands-on experiences, one-on-one mentoring, access to senior business leaders, and the opportunity to meet colleagues and peers to build a professional network. Find a job with J.P. Morgan
Get inspired!
Career development / career accelerator
Career Development Program by DMIRS
Finding skill gaps between current position and aspirations, developing a career plan, and understanding and leveraging networks, are some of the multiple workshops covered by the program to progress and develop DMIRS employees’ leadership capabilities. In addition, women within the organization have the opportunity to attend training and conferences such as The IPAA Women in Public Sector Leadership Conference, to tackle gender boundaries and deliver change. Find a job with DMIRS
Dynamic Women by Clear Dynamics
Dynamic Women’s group provides connection and support for women within the company, including online lunches to connect and hear from inspiring speakers. This wider company initiative coaches and mentors internal candidates and emerging leaders as they progress their careers and move into STEMM roles, and to leadership and executive positions. Find a job with Clear Dynamics
Get inspired!
Find a job with Melbourne Water
Take IT Forward by J.P. Morgan
Supporting the long-term career development, retention and progression of their Associate and Vice President women technologists, Take IT Forward provides professional and technical skill development opportunities, career coaching, and networking with senior leaders and cohorts for peer support. The initiative is now active across Technology Centers and is led by women technologists at the firm. Find a job with J.P. Morgan
Fairer recruitment practices
In the recruitment space, leading employers are implementing strategies that facilitate women’s representation in traditionally male-dominated industries and STEMM fields.
Splunk, BHP, Atlassian, DMIRS, Jemena, Clear Dynamics, Teletrac Navman, Melbourne Water, Lion, BAE Systems, Accenture, CSIRO, Lloyds Banking Group, Mott MadDonald UK, Woolworths Group and Deloitte shared their methodology.
Here are the top five best practices:
- Decreasing gender bias in the content of the job advertisements
- Proactively sourcing across key pipelines with a gender-specific focus
- Ensuring diverse hiring panels and pool of candidates
- Limiting job ads to what’s strictly needed in terms of skills and qualifications
- Establishing defined pay scales and peer parity and being transparent about it
Knowing that these companies have methods in place to ensure women and underrepresented groups are treated fairly, it gives you the confidence to apply.
Get inspired!
Find a job with Teletrac Navman
Have more questions?
If you didn’t find a program that suits your specific career needs, follow these two steps:
- Check these organizations to find the specific assistance you are seeking. WORK180 and many of our Endorsed Employers have partnered with some of them to support their initiatives.
- Lucy Mentoring program
- She Loves Data
- Dress For Success
- Vic ITC for Women
- GradGirls
- Australian Women in Security Network
- Code Like A Girl
- Lovelace
- Grace Papers
- Robogals
- Explore open roles with the company of your interest and check if their benefits include development and mentoring programs. Mention it in your application.
“Great programs, but I need flexible working hours to make it happen.”
We have you covered! Every single company mentioned in this article is open to discuss Flexible working arrangements during the interview stage. You can even see what they offer in terms of parental support, leave, equal pay, diversity, and much more. Head to their Endorsed Employer page and check their policies and benefits section.
*You may have noticed we use the STEMM acronym throughout the article rather than the shorter STEM. Check out our Diversity and Inclusion Glossary to understand the differences.