Chevron Cyprus has highlighted its ongoing efforts to handle gender inequalities in STEM and entrepreneurship, as a part of actions marking International Women’s Day.
The firm emphasised that women stay considerably underrepresented in science, expertise, engineering and arithmetic, regardless of rising international demand for expert professionals.
It famous that solely round 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women, underlining the persistent hole in participation throughout high-growth sectors.
Chevron Cyprus careworn that reaching gender equality requires equal entry to training, assets and profession alternatives, significantly in fields which are shaping the long run economic system.
In Cyprus, initiatives have been launched to encourage more ladies and women to pursue STEM careers, with Chevron Cyprus enjoying an energetic position via partnerships and funding programmes.
Working with Frederick University and CyprusInno, the corporate has supported tasks providing mentorship, coaching and scholarships.
Among these is the STEM Days programme, which introduces younger ladies to science and expertise via sensible, hands-on experiences.
Another initiative, the Women Entrepreneurs Lab, focuses on supporting women in creating enterprise ventures and strengthening entrepreneurial abilities.
“Addressing gender inequalities is particularly critical in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, where women remain significantly underrepresented,” the corporate stated.
The significance of early publicity to expertise careers was illustrated by Erma Dymiotou, a graduate of Frederick University’s laptop science programmes.
“I took computer classes when I was in sixth grade. I was good at it, and I had an excellent teacher who made everything seem simple,” she stated.
She defined that her curiosity in the sector developed additional throughout her faculty years.
“I knew since high school that I wanted to study computer science. It was the only subject that truly excited me, along with mathematics and physics,” she stated.
Despite monetary challenges, she pursued her research with the help of scholarships supplied by Frederick University.
“Information technology is a constantly evolving field, and that’s what attracted me to it,” she stated.
“It is challenging, creative, and fulfilling,” she added.
Today, she works as an online developer at Dynamic Works, contributing to Cyprus’ increasing expertise sector.
Frederick University has additionally launched initiatives geared toward inspiring youthful generations, together with a programme launched in 2021 encouraging ladies to discover engineering and expertise careers.
“At the same time, it seeks to raise awareness among parents and teachers about stereotypes and outdated attitudes that often discourage girls from following their interests in these fields,” stated Natassa Frederickou, President of the Council of Frederick University.
Through STEM Days, ladies aged 9 to 12 participate in free workshops, whereas older college students aged 13 to 16 attend a week-long STEM camp that includes trade talks and visits to firms and analysis establishments.
The initiative goals to construct confidence and show that careers in STEM are each achievable and rewarding.
Financial help stays a key pillar of those efforts, with feminine college students receiving a 50 per cent scholarship when enrolling in STEM programmes at Frederick University.
In collaboration with Chevron Cyprus, two full scholarships are awarded yearly, making certain that monetary obstacles don’t stop proficient college students from pursuing greater training.
Since 2022, more than 10 full scholarships have been granted, based mostly on educational efficiency and socio-economic standards.
For scholar Stavriana Rafael, the help proved decisive.
“I’m happy with my choice,” she stated.
“It is something I truly enjoy, and I cannot imagine myself doing anything else,” she added, referring to her research in mechanical engineering.
Beyond training, the Women Entrepreneurs Lab programme supplies additional alternatives for women to advance professionally.
Implemented with the help of CyprusInno and sponsored by Chevron Cyprus, the initiative consists of a two-day bootcamp, personalised mentorship and a closing Demo Day, the place members current their enterprise concepts to traders.
The programme is designed to refine enterprise methods, strengthen management and monetary administration abilities and put together members to ship investment-ready pitches.
It additionally goals to join entrepreneurs with mentors, traders and key companions inside the enterprise ecosystem.
The launch of the programme final weekend fashioned a part of International Women’s Day celebrations, highlighting the significance of women’s participation in financial improvement.
“It is truly an honor to be surrounded by such inspiring and accomplished women who are making meaningful contributions to Cyprus’ economic development,” stated Melina Demetriou, Financial Manager at Chevron Cyprus.
“On behalf of all my colleagues at Chevron Cyprus, I can confidently say that the Women Entrepreneurs Lab, as a continuation of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, truly embodies the Chevron Way,” she added.