Australia, December 15, 2020 - Avanade, the leading digital innovator on the Microsoft ecosystem, today announced its first Women in STEM scholarship program with Swinburne University of Technology – enabling young women in Australia to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions.

The scholarship program, Avanade’s first in Australia, will provide six students with vital financial support, internship opportunities and invitations to attend Avanade’s Innovation events for hands-on learning. Scholarship recipients will also be offered graduate placements upon completion of their degrees. In addition, the six students will receive coaching and mentoring from Avanade Australia leaders, so they have the support and guidance they need to achieve their aspirations.

The scholarship program, which is now open for applications for a February 2021 start at Swinburne, aims to build a more diverse, dynamic future workforce in STEM. It focuses on the building blocks of successful career development, from social networking skills to team building. The scholarship program will support the six students for the entire duration of their university courses and is part of Avanade’s broader global scholarship program.

“We’re thrilled to announce our first Women in STEM scholarship program in Australia, in partnership with a world-renowned education institution like Swinburne University of Technology,” said Carol Gobby, Executive Sales Leadership and Corporate Citizenship Lead at Avanade Australia. “We share a mutual desire with Swinburne to help more people access the opportunities and benefits of technology and education. As we navigate through this period of uncertainty, we believe STEM skills will be pivotal to the ongoing recovery and rapid pace of change. We want to make a genuine human impact by helping to improve the diversity within those sectors across Australia - ensuring as many people as possible are trained and ready for the jobs of the future.”

Swinburne University of Technology’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Pascale Quester said that Swinburne has a strong reputation for developing strong STEM skills in aspiring learners and leaders, for men and women.

“Swinburne has a strong culture of gender equity and inclusion. We are committed to encouraging the brightest women and girls in pursuing STEM and advancing Australia’s competitive capability in these fields. This new scholarship partnership will help ensure these women can be supported, nurtured and inspired,” Professor Quester said.

The Avanade STEM Scholarship program has been running globally since 2015 and has so far supported 99 young female students, helping to close the gender gap in the technology workplace. Today, the program has 14 university partners around the globe in countries such as the United States, Canada, Italy, France, Japan and China. With a wide international base, students have the opportunity to build key relationships with their peers, which they can draw upon throughout their careers.