of career advancement in manufacturing, women can be the answer manufacturing has been looking for to fill the 600,000 jobs gap. A few noteworthy events that support this effort are coming up. The Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT 2013 will be held October 22–23, 2013 at The Henry in Dearborn, Michigan. Women in Manufacturing (WiM) began in November 2009 with a small group of Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) members who gathered at the FABTECH tradeshow in Chicago to discuss best practices, business conditions and unique challenges and needs as minorities in the field. This intimate group subsequently met in 2010 and 2011 before broadening its scope to network with women in all areas and industries within manufacturing.


The group arrived at the concept of a women in manufac- turing meeting and launched the Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT 2011, where 130 women gathered in Cleveland, OH, on October 25–26, 2011. The Women in Manufacturing SUM- MIT 2012, held October 29–30 in Milwaukee, WI, grew to attract 200 female manufacturing leaders. Approximately 300 participants are expected to attend SUMMIT 2013, October 22–23 in Dearborn, MI.


As a result of this success, the group has broadened its offerings to include additional year-round networking oppor- tunities, mentoring programs, quarterly e-newsletters and an


About 200 women gathered for the 2012 WiM Summit in Milwaukee, WI. Approximately 300 participants are expected to attend SUMMIT 2013, October 22–23 in Dearborn, MI.


Tour, and a Women in Manufacturing Reception. Leaders in Manufacturing will discuss experiences in manufacturing now and when they first started in the industry, as well as how to engage the future leaders at the Thought Leaders Round Table Discussion. Subject matter experts will take Women in Manufacturing Alliance partners on a guided tour of the FABTECH show floor to connect them with current trends, technologies, and needs in manufacturing. The day will conclude with a Networking Reception addressing the current and upcoming workforce needs facing manufacturing.


Much is being done to inspire and support those working in manufacturing, specifically women, and to attract new blood to the field.


online directory, all aimed at supporting the WiM mission—to encourage the engagement of women who have chosen a ca- reer in the manufacturing industry and want to share perspec- tives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in mentoring programs and network with industry peers. WiM focuses on attracting, retaining and advancing women in the manufacturing sector. It is a sister organiza- tion of PMA, the full-service trade association representing the $113-billion metalforming industry of North America. Registration for this year’s SUMMIT is now open. Please visit www.womeninmanufacturing.org for more information. Women in Manufacturing will be celebrated at FABTECH held November 18–21, 2013 in Chicago, IL at McCormick Place. This will unfold as a series of events including a Thought Leaders Round Table Discussion, a guided Tech


Separately, the Manufacturing Institute is partnering with Deloitte, University of Phoenix, and SME on the STEP Ahead Initiative (women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Production). The STEP Ahead Awards will be given in February 2014 in Washington, DC. This is part of the larger STEP Ahead Initiative, launched in 2012 to examine and promote the role of women in manufacturing through recognition, research, and education/leadership. It will also highlight best practices for at- tracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent. In February of 2013, 122 women were chosen to be hon- ored at the inaugural STEP Ahead Awards because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole. Partnerships and events like these can help make our industry stronger. It’s time we all think about how we can be involved in manufacturing’s future. ME


October 2013 | ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com 111


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