LONDON – December 12, 2016

JA Europe and Avanade are launching a new program focused on empowering, upskilling and educating more than 500 girls. The program is designed to provide the students with skills and opportunities that will support their Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) studies and careers.

Despite the rising demand for STEM professionals (expected to grow by 8% between 2013 and 2025), women are still underrepresented in these fields (only 28% of the world's researchers are women).

The program being established by Junior Achievement (JA) and Avanade will span four academic years (2016-2019) across five selected countries – Brazil, China, Norway, Spain and Sweden – and has the potential for expansion in the future. Avanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services and is firmly committed to closing gender, technology and income gaps for women, making it partner-of-choice for JA. By taking part in JA program like job shadow days (Leaders-for-a-Day), the JA Company Program and Innovation Camps with the support of Avanade employees, the female students will gain a greater understanding of the many and varied employment opportunities available to them in the IT sector.

“There is evidence of skills shortages in STEM in spite of high unemployment rates in many countries around the world. The proportion of students going into STEM is not increasing and underrepresentation of women in STEM persists. Our work with Avanade volunteers is helping combat those issues: raising young women’s awareness of the skills they will need in the future, providing role models and giving them greater confidence in their abilities,” said Caroline Jenner, CEO JA Europe and Global Head of Regional Development at JA Worldwide.

Avanade employees will have the opportunity to become volunteers, mentors, advisors or classroom presenters to the students. As important role models, the Avanade volunteers will be a source of practical advice and experience as well as encouragement and motivation throughout the year.

Avanade also works closely with the Aspire Foundation, providing mentoring to women working in charities and social enterprises. JA Europe local country offices employees will now be invited to join the Aspire Foundation community and benefit from valuable mentoring opportunities that will help them in turn to be more efficient and impact better on young women.

“I am delighted Avanade can support this important effort. As a CEO and the father of two daughters, I am personally passionate about seeing more women in STEM fields in the near and long term. Diversity drives creativity, innovation and a more human approach, which is at the heart of innovation and digital change. Junior Achievement (JA) is working hard to bring more girls into STEM studies and careers and Avanade is excited to be part of that,” added Adam Warby, Avanade CEO.