PayPal has launched the Women Luminaries Program in Singapore to address the tech industry's persistent gender gap by offering scholarships, mentorship, and hands-on experience to female university students pursuing careers in technology.
Singapore, 20 August 2019. The technology industry has long struggled with a diversity problem. Women remain significantly underrepresented in technical roles and leadership positions across most major tech companies, and the gap shows little sign of closing on its own. PayPal is taking a concrete step to change that narrative with the launch of its Women Luminaries Program (WLP), an initiative designed to empower female students who are passionate about technology and want to build lasting careers in the field.
The numbers tell a sobering story. According to recent diversity reports, women are still underrepresented in most tech companies, especially in technical and leadership roles. In Singapore specifically, women occupy only about 25% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) jobs, and account for just 30% of entrepreneurs in both tech and non-tech roles, according to data highlighted by Girls in Tech. These figures are not just statistics. They represent real barriers that prevent talented women from entering and staying in an industry that shapes much of how we live and work today.
In light of this diversity gap, the first installment of the WLP is designed to identify female students from several local universities who demonstrate a keen interest and aptitude to build a career in tech. The program is open to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PR) residing in the country, for students in their second or third year of their respective bachelor programs with participating universities. Applicants need to be enrolled in courses related to computer science or engineering to be eligible for the program. Beyond academic enrollment, the applicant must demonstrate strong capabilities to innovate and contribute meaningfully to the tech industry.
The program begins on 20 August 2019, with three annual scholarships awarded to one student from each of the following Singapore universities: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, and Singapore University of Technology and Design.
Successful recipients will receive a one-time scholarship. They will also gain access to PayPal's extensive network of mentors and industry experts for career guidance, along with exclusive technical workshops, events, and courses that are offered to PayPal employees. In addition, recipients will be able to apply for internship opportunities at PayPal for their university attachments and receive exposure to real-life scenarios and problem-solving under close guidance from PayPal's senior engineers.
"Gender diversity and inclusion plays a huge role in PayPal's core values, and we are committed to creating an environment where individuals of diverse backgrounds are welcomed," said Jerry Tso, Director, PayPal Singapore's Development Center. "In building the fintech ecosystem, it is important that we promote women in engineering by nurturing female tech talent and provide them with opportunities that would help them stay in the industry and become leaders. With our expertise and network, PayPal is in the position to offer these opportunities and build Singapore's next generation of fintech talent that will see women on par with men in the industry in every aspect."
What makes this program worth watching is its structure. Rather than simply offering financial support, PayPal is building a pipeline that connects scholarship recipients directly to professional networks and practical experience. The mentorship component alone addresses one of the most commonly cited reasons women leave tech: a lack of visible role models and supportive communities. Add in access to internal training and the possibility of internships, and the program becomes more than a scholarship. It becomes an on-ramp to a career.
If successful, the WLP could serve as a template for other companies looking to move beyond performative diversity initiatives. The tech industry does not have a talent shortage among women. It has a retention and opportunity problem. Programs like this one, grounded in actual investment and structured support, address that problem directly.
More information on WLP's details and criteria can be found here.