The difficulty of finding flexible work and getting up-to-speed after a few years out of the office is a major concern for returning mothers in the media industry, and a major contributor towards gender inequality in senior roles.

The marketing, media and PR industries advertises far less flexible working positions than the national average, which creates an unnecessary talent drain.

To combat this issue, Golin, Starcom Mediavest Group and recruitment specialists, f1, have teamed up to create a “back2businesship” programme for mums returning to work. The programme offers support to women in in the media industry who have been out of work for five or more years on maternity leave. It includes a month-long training course on career planning, confidence building and presentation skills, as well as practical placement opportunities.

Businesses are needed to help provide this year’s delegates with the necessary placement opportunities. All 25 delegates have had successful careers in PR, marketing or the media before taking a career break.

Melissa Franklin, who currently works in a flexible role as head of marketing at the University of Surrey, took part in the scheme last year. She says, “The course jettisoned me back into the global media world. It was fantastic to meet like-minded marketing and media mums and I was impressed by the experience in the room. Like me, they were all hoping to find the Holy Grail – flexible, interesting work we could fit round our families.”

Franklin previously worked in brand marketing before leaving to start her own business, running fitness classes for new mothers. Attendees on this year’s programme include experienced media professionals from in-house, agency and consultancy backgrounds, a former head of digital at a national newspaper and an advertising account director from the finance sector.

Starcom Mediavest Group’s regional HR director, Liz Nottingham, says, “It is clear that returning parents in the media and marketing industry often don’t feel they have the help they need. So we wanted to develop a fully rounded programme to provide these parents with the confidence to return to work. This is the second year of our back2businessship initiative and we hope to build on last year’s success by attracting even more support from across the industry.”

back2businesship was launched by founding partners Starcom Mediavest Group and f1 in 2014. PR firm, Golin, joined the partnership in 2015.