Seek Labs Announces Returnship Program
September 25, 2024
Seek Labs is excited to announce the launch of its Returnship Program in partnership with BioHive. Seek Labs’ Returnship Program aims to support and provide opportunities for individuals who have taken an extended absence from their career. Seek Labs hopes to reduce barriers to employment by actively recruiting individuals who have taken an extended break from the workforce and help returners transition smoothly back into their careers by offering specialized training, resources, and support beyond typical on-the-job training.
In August 2024, BioHive announced the BioHive Life Sciences Returnship Initiative (LSRI), funded in part by the Talent Ready Utah Return-to-Work Grant. As a participating host company, Seek Labs will work in conjunction with BioHive to recruit and support returners in Utah’s life sciences ecosystem.
Over the coming months, Seek Labs will recruit and onboard returners in multiple divisions at the company. Each returnship is slated to run onsite for 12-16 weeks. For more information about open roles, eligibility, and application requirements, please follow the link below.
What is the Seek Labs returnship?
The returnship is a paid, temporary mid-level position tailored for experienced professionals reentering the workforce after a career break. While similar to an internship, it is not intended for individuals starting their career. Depending on the role and projects, the returnship spans 12-16 weeks and participants receive specialized programming, mentorship, peer support, and other resources to ease their transition back into the workplace.
Why the returnship format?
Returnships were introduced as a way to address the perceived risk of hiring professionals returning to work after extended career breaks. Returnships allow employers to evaluate a candidate’s skills through real-world work rather than relying solely on interviews. At the end of the returnship program, participants leave with updated, marketable skills that enhance their chances of securing future employment. Additionally, the organization makes a decision for permanently employing the candidate after the program is completed.
Who is a returner?
A returner is an experienced professional who has taken an extended break from their career and is now looking to reenter the workforce. Their career pause can be due to various reasons, such as illness, parental leave, caregiving, un-retirement, or military service. Generally, returners have been out of full-time employment for more than one year.