People step away from their STEM2D careers for many reasons: to welcome a new baby to the world, to serve their country or to otherwise shift their focus to another area of their life that requires their full attention. And when the time is right to shift back to professional passions in STEM2D fields, Johnson & Johnson is ready to help with the transition.
We believe there’s power in experience. That’s why we took a hard look at the obstacles discouraging people in STEM2D fields—including many women—from reclaiming their professional passions after a career break, and then we created a program to help overcome them.
No matter where your story began or where you are in your career journey, Johnson & Johnson’s Re-Ignite return-to-work program makes the transition back to the professional world realistic and empowering for you and your family.
Consider a Return-to-Work Program: Introducing Returnship
A returnship is a short-term pathway and training program for people to return to their professional pursuits after they have left the workforce for any of a variety of reasons.
At Johnson & Johnson, our returnship program—Re-Ignite—involves onboarding, paid on-the-job learning opportunities, and support by mentors, technical peers and program alumni at Johnson & Johnson. Re-Ignite was created with assistance from iRelaunch—the pioneering company in the career reentry space— the Society of Women Engineers’ (SWE) STEM2D Re-entry Task Force and other leading global companies in health and technology. In the short time it has been in operation, Re-Ignite has already made a difference in the lives of dozens of employees and their families, and it’s just getting started.
Potential is Power
Rarely does someone’s career path follow a predictable, straight line. The Johnson & Johnson Re-Ignite return-to-work program was designed in response to this trend, and to meet people where they are in their careers, so that we can reach the next breakthrough together. Re-Ignite is ahead of the curve, offering a resource for the growing number of STEM2D professionals at this unique point in their careers.
Each participant’s Re-Ignite experience is designed to be a safe space to fill in any knowledge gaps they may discover while acclimating to a new work environment. It’s an on-ramp that provides responsibilities and challenges that fit each returner’s unique goals while preparing them to transition back into their career fields at one of the world’s leading health and technology companies.
Re-Ignite is currently recruiting cohorts in many locations across the U.S. and Ireland. The program is open to professionals with experience in their STEM2D-related field who have taken a career break from a STEM2D role for two or more years.
The First Step is the Hardest
You are more powerful than you may realize. You’ve worked your way up in your career, balanced family and personal commitments, managed operational challenges and finances for your own life (and probably others) and never stopped learning, even if you did take a break from your day job for a while. When it’s time to start blending professional goals back into your life, Re-Ignite is a successful, proven and personalized approach.
You’ll get support from others who have been in your shoes, while working in a culture where people care more about a great idea than the title of the person who thought of it. The Re-Ignite program will empower you to prove to yourself and your new colleagues that you are ready to do the work that will make meaningful changes in the trajectory of human health.
“Be confident in your abilities,” says Heather Knox, a Re-Ignite Associate from Ethicon in Cincinnati, Ohio, who completed the program in 2017. “You have great experiences and you have great skills, and it may take you a little extra time to refine those skills, but when you do you’re going to be a great value to the company and you should recognize that in yourself and be confident.”
You are smart and competent. Re-Ignite is flexible and supportive. Take that step.
Learn More
Johnson & Johnson and the Re-Ignite program are helping people all over the world find their way back to meaningful and rewarding jobs in science, technology, engineering, math and more. Our goal: provide you with everything you need so you can get back to creating, solving, building and bringing your breakthrough ideas to reality—and to the millions of lives reached through the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.
Click here to learn more information about Re-Ignite and apply today. We can’t wait to hear from you!