A lack of older women working, particularly in highly skilled roles, is costing the UK economy £50bn a year. Could returnships be the answer? Returning professional internships (‘returnships’) act as a bridge back to senior roles for experienced professional women who have taken an extended voluntary career break. They are paid short-term employment contracts. The returner takes on commercially significant assignments based on her skills, interests and prior experience. The employing organisation gains from focused attention on business-critical issues and a low-risk opportunity to assess a potential employee’s suitability for a permanent role at the end of the period.

There is strong evidence of success in the UK, with the majority of participants taken on into ongoing mid to senior level roles at the end of the programmes run to date.

Join the next DLTV episode hosted as always by BBC Click’s Kate Russell and with panelists including Jacqueline de Rojas, President of techUK and Digital Leaders Advisory Board Member and Sarah Burnett, Vice President of Research at Everest Group.