Walmart Is Joining a Growing Movement to Get Stay-At-Home Moms Back Into the Workforce

Walmart Labs recently signed onto Path Forward, a nonprofit that enables programs to aid caregivers — primarily mothers — in going back to professional work after taking time off to look after children, a parent, or another loved one, reports Fortune . Beginning in September, Walmart Labs will offer three-month internships or "returnships" in software engineering and product management to candidates looking to resume their careers after caregiving breaks. Walmart Labs' Bobbie Grafeld says the unit aims to hire between 20 and 30 people, with the initial returnships based in the San Bruno and Sunnyvale offices in California. "These people have strong skills sets" and made "a personal choice to exit the workforce," she notes. "How can we — as the world's largest employer — help them ease back into it?" Grafeld says Walmart Labs also has ambitions to extend the program company-wide. Path Forward is geared toward to people with at least five years of professional experience who have paused their careers for at least two years of caregiving. The nonprofit helps create returnships that participating companies operate themselves. These businesses pay Path Forward an administrative fee in return for promotional services and training on how to launch their returnships. Grafeld says the returnships allow employers and interns to determine whether the arrangement is beneficial in terms of culture and skill set. Grafeld says a Walmart Labs "returnee" who meets these criteria may be offered full-time employment when the program ends.