Apple has committed to extend $50m to non-profit organisations who work to bring more women, minorities and veterans to the tech industry.
In an interview with Fortune, Apple human resources chief Denise Young Smith also highlighted that the company wants people from different lifestyles and sexual orientations in tech.
Apple is collaborating with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an NGO that supports students enrolled in historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
With the $40m finding, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund will create a database of computer science majors at HBCUs, and offer training to students and faculty. Apple has also agreed to offer paid internship programmes for selected students.
The iPhone maker is also partnering with National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) by funding $10m, which is likely to be used to double the number of four-year-degree recipients supported by NCWIT’s scholarship, internships, and other resources.
According to Smith, Apple is also in talks with military leaders to come up with a programme to provide technology training to veterans.
Smith said: "We wanted to create opportunities for minority candidates to get their first job at Apple.
"There is tremendous upside to that and we are dogged about the fact that we can’t innovate without being diverse and inclusive."
