Abbott ranked No. 3 on The 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.”