Pilot Scheme
In 1985 Daphne Jackson devised a pilot scheme to return women to science, engineering or technology careers after they had been away from the workplace for over two years.
She was very aware that science, engineering and technology (SET) are marked by continuous advancements in theoretical knowledge, introduction of new research and development methods and changes to experimental techniques and equipment. The result is that even a relatively short period of restricted involvement in the area may require a great deal of catching up in order to be able to be competitive again.
The pilot scheme enabled talented women to return to their careers in SET after a break by offering Fellowships composed of a retraining programme linked to a challenging research or development project, with the overall focus put firmly on improving future employment potential of the individual. The key objective was that the Fellowship should help re-establish professional expertise as well as personal confidence, within an appropriately supportive environment, with significantly improved job prospects at the end.
Fellows were selected on their potential to make a successful return to their professions and to once again benefit the economy. This realistic approach gained Daphne Jackson, and subsequently the Trust, widespread support from charities, institutions and industries, which gained considerably from their involvement.
A total of 27 Fellows successfully completed Fellowships during the pilot scheme, which ran during the late 1980s. The Trust has contacted 18 of these pilot scheme Fellows and all of them successfully returned to SET careers after completing the Fellowship.