Abbott ranked No. 3 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2022.
Leaders at Abbott say the shortage of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is due to a lack of exposure, not a lack of skills.
While the number of women in STEM has increased over the years, there is still more work to be done. Twenty-nine percent of men in the U.S. workforce represent STEM occupations compared to only 18% of women. This gap widens for specific fields: Only 8.1% of roles in electrical engineering are held by women.
One of the best ways to expose young women to a career in STEM is through internships.
Abbott reaches seven countries through high school internships, with 95% of participants going on to study STEM in college or take a STEM job. Also, over 70% of former high school interns the company hires as full-time engineers are women.
“Developing STEM stars will take all of us,” said Dr. Beth McQuiston, a neurologist and Medical Director at Abbott. “Talk to your friends. Find champions for the girls you know. The world is so big and the STEM opportunities are endless.”
