- Huw Hughes
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Amazon has unveiled a new programme to boost gender diversity and
inclusion across its UK business.
The new ‘Amazon Amplify’ programme aims to ramp up the number of women
in tech and innovation, improve diversity on interview panels and remove
the biggest barriers
to career progression cited by women across different sectors.
The programme includes the launch of a new Amazon Women in Innovation
Bursary of over 130,000 pounds a year for up to 24 women students, a new
apprenticeship programme which enables people of all ages and backgrounds
to train as engineers and business leaders, and new public tours of Amazon
and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workshops for
children.
Amazon looks to boost number of women in tech
“Diversity fosters greater innovation and helps raise the bar for
customers, and having a diverse workforce is also just the right thing to
do,” said Fiona McDonnell, director of consumer retail at Amazon and chair
of the cross-industry Women in Innovation Advisory Committee.
“Our new Amazon Amplify plan aims to attract and retain the best and
brightest talent in Britain, ensuring a positive environment in which they
can thrive.”
The news comes following last year’s announcement that Amazon had
partnered with Wise, a campaign encouraging women to take up roles in
science, technology and engineering. Wise’s research, which surveyed over
1,000 women working in STEM, revealed that nine in 10 women experienced
some barriers to their careers, with over a quarter (26 per cent)
experiencing more barriers than enablers.
The top three barriers women working in STEM careers faced in the UK
were a lack of confidence (84 per cent), having to adapt to a male
dominated environment (75 per cent), and a lack of recognition from senior
management (72 per cent).
STEM’s research predicted that a 10 percent increase of women in STEM
careers would result in a 3 billion pound boost for UK business.
Photo credit: Amazon