University of Phoenix is launching a mentorship program with PepsiCo to encourage more women to work in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and finance, as well as help bridge the gender gap and fill the increasing number of positions in STEM fields.

Forty-eight women who are students in the College of Information Systems and Technology and School of Business will be paired with PepsiCo IT and finance leaders to receive career advice and resources. The effort began last year as a pilot that included 20 of the university’s top female students from the College of Information Systems and Technology who each completed 20 mentorship hours with PepsiCo IT employees.

The cooperation is an extension of PepsiCo’s participation in the Million Women Mentors program, a global initiative to provide 1 million mentoring relationships to girls and women. The goal is to help them to choose, persist and succeed in STEM programs and careers.