Carol Fishman Cohen on the History of Career Reentry Programs and Relaunching Your Technical Career ENCORE

One of the Pioneers in Career Reentry programs is Carol Fishman Cohen, who founded iRelaunch to help people re-enter the workforce following a career break and to educate and support employers that engage with return-to-work talent. As she presented in her TEDx talk, she had been a "returner" herself after re-entering the financial services field following an 11 year break (which was turned into a case study at Harvard Business School!)

In this Extraordinary Conversation, Carol and DrCat discuss the evolution of "returnships," which are internship-based programs for mid-career professionals looking to re-enter the workforce. The first programs were in the financial industry in the mid-2000s, followed by the tech industry. Now, the public sector is driving the current wave of career re-entry. Returnships have evolved from being equated to entry-level student internships to providing support and training for both the relauncher and the managers/recruiters involved.

They talk about how to create successful returnship programs that are designed with the expectation of conversion, rather than just a temporary assignment. They emphasize that career breaks can happen for various reasons and should not reflect on an individual's work performance. The importance of diversity, including age diversity, is also mentioned in talent acquisition.

The public sector, particularly those working in water and the environment, is highlighted as mission-driven and a potential place for relaunching professionals. They discuss the challenge of re-entering technical fields, particularly within the public sector or with government contractors after a career break due to age-related hiring markers that are built into the hiring process, where hiring levels are based on years of experience.

iRelaunch has worked with CDM Smith - the only environmental consulting firm to provide a Returnship program - in an approach that is designed for mid-career professionals with access to quality reskilling/upskilling resources. They discuss the importance of bringing back individuals with specialized training and experience in geology, infrastructure, and water resources to address challenges such as climate change and aging infrastructure. Retired baby boomers can serve as advisors. Employers need formal career re-entry programs for employees taking career breaks, with a focus on exit interviews for a pathway for their return.

The conversation continues with a discussion of the challenge of getting mid-career women to advance in water and environmental professions. There is a push to help the next generation and rising professionals, but not much support for mid-career professionals. The Society of Women Engineers has a Stem Reentry Task Force that focuses on mid-career professionals to launch career entry programs at leading global organizations. The program aims to address the shortage of women in these fields and to reverse the current situation.

The speakers discuss legislation such as the STEM Restart Act and Utah's career reentry program, which aim to introduce the returnship concept and funding for small and medium-sized businesses. They also mention the challenge of finding job opportunities for women who have taken career breaks, particularly in federal agencies that often require recent experience or current student status, and suggest that agencies should consider hiring individuals with relevant experience who are trying to re-enter the industry, broadening eligibility criteria can help employers get high-quality talent at a lower rate. A returnship program should be situated as a mid-career program with prorated compensation, with fair compensation and timely re-employment.

Carol emphasizes the importance of maintaining connections, knowledge, and expertise during career breaks, even through volunteer work or board service, and invites the Summit attendees to join the iRelaunch Return to Work Conference, a free career re-entry event with intensive content and virtual conversations with employers interested in hiring those who have taken a career break.

Don't Miss Carol's TEDx Talk on 'How to Get Back to Work After a Career Break" https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_fishman_cohen_how_to_get_back_to_work_after_a_career_break?language=en