Path Forward Program

A Path Forward return to work program is a temporary job placement with a specific company that is geared toward
professionals looking to restart their careers after they took time to focus on caregiving or other family obligations. We
refer to these programs as “returnships” because they are similar to college internships but also different in some important
ways. Like a college internship, Path Forward placements have an emphasis on learning and development and the gaining
(and regaining) of skills. Unlike a college internship, the Path Forward program is exclusively for individuals who have a
minimum of 5 years of professional experience.

Am I guaranteed a job offer at the end of the program? Path Forward internships are not “regular” jobs. It is a temporary
program that typically spans 16 weeks, though the duration varies by company. They are paid positions and generally
require full-time hours. Pay rate and benefits, if any, are determined by each company. Each company also determines
the criteria for success and will make the final decision on whether to make an offer of ongoing employment at the
conclusion of the program.

Should I focus on finding a full-time job? Many individuals who’ve paused their career for a few years find that it’s difficult
to be considered for full-time positions. They may also be uncertain how their prior experience translates into today’s
workplace and may lack confidence in their abilities. The Path Forward return to work program addresses all of these
issues by creating an environment where you are able to redevelop your skills while gaining valuable experience.
Our program has a great track record of success. The vast majority of participants are offered ongoing employment
with the company where they intern and the remainder generally find employment within six months of the end of
the program. Also, the Path Forward program includes specific professional development workshops with the Path
Forward staff to help you restart your career successfully. You gain a valuable support system with the returnees at
other companies and the Path Forward team. All that said, only you can decide what is the best way for you to
restart your career.

Great! We are excited to have you on board. Signing up at the Path Forward site is a great way to stay connected
to us and the community here and to be alerted quickly whenever new opportunities become available. BUT, it is
not a job application. Path Forward internships are offered by each company we work with and you must apply
with that company for the specific role you are interested in. The good news is that this system means you can
apply to as many positions as you want. You’ll find a list of available opportunities or information on when
applications for our next programs will open up here.

We’re actively working to expand our program in as many places as possible. The specific cities where we offer
programs is determined by where we’re able to secure the most partners and offer the most job opportunities.
As of 2021, we have many remote opportunities; please review links for specific relocation requirements, if any.
Keep watching our site and newsletter for updates.

Candidates need to meet the criteria to be eligible for Path Forward which means five years of prior professional
experience and a minimum of two years out of the professional workforce to focus on caregiving. That can mean
childcare, selfcare, eldercare or care of another loved one. “Trailing spouses” who have had to sacrifice their
own careers because of moves required to support their spouse’s job also qualify. The two years out of the
workforce does not need to be continuous, and some companies only require a one year gap. Having generated
some income from non-professional activities or from consulting/freelance work does not disqualify applicants.
Its up to each employer to determine if a candidate meets the criteria for the Path Forward program. Please
check individual listings for company-specific requirements.

Each company has crafted job postings for each internship it is offering and those posting specify the function-related
criteria they are looking for. Generally speaking companies are looking for people who have several years of
professional experience that they are looking to use to fuel their career restart. That said, we’ve seen people
successfully make a career change or pivot through a Path Forward returnship. This tends to be most successful
when the “new” career has skills that are related to the prior career and when the candidate has done some self-study
to begin to fill any skills gaps.

Yes! The companies in our program are looking for people who have solid professional backgrounds who are looking
to restart their careers. As part of that, they are open to transferable skills, nontraditional educational backgrounds and
experience gained outside of the paid workforce. If you believe you meet many of the qualifications listed – even if
your skills and experiences weren’t gained the “traditional” way — you should absolutely apply.

Stay tuned for updates to the Path Forward website. So far, we’ve worked with more than 80 companies to implement
return to work programs, and we’re hard at work now signing on new partners to join us for future programs. Sign up
here to be alerted when new opportunities open. We also know of other companies that have US-based return to
work programs that are not affiliated with Path Forward. Some of these have been one-time pilots and others are
ongoing programs with regular start and end dates. You can find a list of those programs here. Also, here are a few
resources you can check out to get ready to return to work or find project-based work:

Inkwell
InspiringCapital
MomCorps
PowerToFly
Prokanga
ReachHIRE
Second Shift
Vermilion Talent

A lot! Path Forward works with each company to train their team and managers to run this program and to support
all the participants to be successful. In addition to that, Path Forward hosts professional development workshops for
all participants during the program. These workshops are designed to help you restart your career with confidence.
Read this blog post to get an idea of some of the ways we think about what “success” looks like for our participants.
And hear directly from our participants by reading their Success Stories.

Keep them coming! Post them in the comments or send them to hello@pathforward.org and we’ll get them answered.