Women in Manufacturing: Is the Landscape Finally Evolving?
Like many traditionally male dominated industries, manufacturing has a long history of struggling to attract women into the workforce. From an early age, women have historically been discouraged from considering STEM related occupations and this mindset all too often carries on into adulthood.
However, with an increasing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of a more diverse workforce and manufacturing feeling the pressure of a global talent crisis, this attitude finally seems to be evolving. However, we still have a long way to go to create an industry which is truly welcoming to women and one which celebrates and prioritizes a diverse workforce.
The goal of this article therefore is to examine the current manufacturing talent crisis; how women are being encouraged to fill vacancies in the industry; and the benefits of a more diverse workforce for all involved.
The Manufacturing Talent Crisis
Recent research by McKinsey found that, "In the past ten years, 2.4 million industrial jobs went unfilled in the United States, costing the economy $2.5 trillion, according to McKinsey estimates. Furthermore, unfilled jobs were a primary reason that seven in ten companies fell behind in scheduled production, leading many industrial leaders to identify labor shortages as a challenge to growth.”
This crisis of talent has only been compounded by the recent COVID-19 crisis, which has seen global attitudes to work change and a significantly increased number of workers gravitate towards career paths which can offer desired benefits such as working from home and flexible hours – something which is not possible for most manufacturing roles.
Manufacturers are therefore waking up to the need to expand the scope of their recruitment and do away with the boys club attitudes of the past, if they want to fill critical positions and ensure continued operations.
Women in Manufacturing
For over a decade, the trade organization Women in Manufacturing has been dedicated to promoting the manufacturing industry as a career path for women and representing the interests of women already working in the space.
In a recent interview, Founder and President of the Women in Manufacturing association, Allison Grealis stated how she has seen massive changes in the representation of women in the manufacturing space.
"You know, I think women are now hearing about these great opportunities in manufacturing,” she said. "I think they're also hearing more about the fact that the pay is really strong, competitive and great in manufacturing and things like the increase in automation and, as well, some of the early intervention things that we're doing as a society related to STEM and STEAM camps and education – I think all of those things combined are really helping.”
According to Grealis, the difference is how manufacturing is communicating with women about the benefits of a career in the industry and the fact young women and girls are now being encouraged to engage with STEM and STEAM subjects from an early age – something which simply wasn’t done for past generations.
The way science and engineering are communicated in the media is also helping. Thanks to blockbuster movies such as The Avengers franchise, science and scientists are now perceived as far "cooler” than they used to be. And, whilst the science in these movies is clearly exaggerated and fantastic, characters such as Tony Stark have become household names for their character arcs which are almost entirely focused around intelligence and scientific ingenuity.
Individual Differences
A shift away from traditional gender roles are also playing a significant role in women becoming more interested in manufacturing. It may have once been considered that certain careers were "for men” because the required a certain amount of physical strength to be adept at – a fact which would exclude many women.
However, technological advances such as robotics and automation have passed much of the – both metaphorical and literal – heavy lifting off to machines – something which is undoubtedly making the manufacturing industry more attractive to people of a far wider ranging physical ability – as well as changing the types of roles which are required by companies in the space.
"You know, I think new positions and roles and responsibilities are being created thanks to automation, also thanks to the diversification of the types of things that companies are making,” said Grealis. "So, I think women, especially those graduating from four-year institutions with degrees in engineering and science and technology - I think they're seeing this great linkage and connectivity to these new careers and types of positions in manufacturing.”
Final Thoughts
Things are improving when it comes to women in manufacturing, but there’s still a long way to go. Women still only currently make up around 30% of the manufacturing workforce and it would be great to see the proportion become more equal as time goes on.
Manufacturers should focus on communicating the benefits of a career in the business and encourage young people to embrace STEM subjects through grassroots organizations such as Women in Manufacturing.
Women in manufacturing is sure to be a hot topic at Connected Manufacturing Forum 2023, being held in June at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta.
Download the agenda today for more information and insights.