Work Avenue is launching a programme specially designed to empower women to get back into work after a career break.

The employment and business support organisation devised the Empower Her programme to help equip women with the necessary tools, resources and confidence for a successful return to the workforce after a period of absence, whether it was to raise a family, care for a loved one, or any other reason.

Women are three times more likely to take career breaks than men and, according to a PwC study, 76 per cent of professional women on career breaks want to return to work, but 65 per cent end up doing so below their potential due to a lack of confidence or a rusty skillset. Work Avenue’s Empower Her programme is aiming to change that.

Starting on Thursday September 12 and running for one morning each week for a period of five weeks, Empower Her will draw upon Work Avenue’s years of experience helping women – and men – to regain the skills and self-assurance needed to get back in the game.

One woman whom Work Avenue previously helped said: “After taking a long time away from the workplace to bring up a family, I was hit with a wall of silence when I tried to go back. I had no real knowledge of how to apply for a job in 2024. I felt I was a failure and I lost confidence in myself.

“But Work Avenue taught me so much, including how to create a new CV, practise my interview technique and use LinkedIn. They gave me my confidence back, helped me find a job and, most importantly, showed me that I have a lot of experience and skills to use for something good,” she said.

Work Avenue CEO Debbie Lebrett added: “Both through our work, and in our own lives, our team meet many successful and driven women in the community who are daunted at the thought of returning to work after a long break.

“This supportive programme tackles all those things that may be stopping them – whether it’s a lack of confidence, out-of-date CV, worries over skills or just feeling overwhelmed at the thought of juggling work with family and other commitments.

“Those taking part will get to work together with like-minded women, supporting and encouraging each other to reach their individual goals, all with the ongoing guidance of our experienced employment advisers,” Lebrett said.

Work Avenue provides upwards of 3,000 people with employment and business support.

For more information on Empower Her, which starts on September 12, click here