Organization Wins Grant for Educating Women in the Manufacturing Field

Although women make up 47 percent of the U.S. workforce, women comprise only 24 percent of the personnel at durable goods manufacturers, according to the Women in Manufacturing website. This means that, as an industry, we need to work on retaining and recruiting women to our industry.

Women in Manufacturing (WiM) is working to do just that. After all, it’s the only national organization specifically dedicated to supporting women in the manufacturing sector with year-round programming and a national directory for women in the industry.

On Sept. 24, WiM received a $100,000 grant from the GE Foundation at the 5th annual WiM Summit, in front of a crowd of almost 300 professional women in the manufacturing sector. The grant will support important WiM initiatives, including regional and national programming and, in particular, new continuing education opportunities for women in the manufacturing sector.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from the GE Foundation,” says Women in Manufacturing President Allison Grealis. “Many available programs for personal and career advancement are too expensive for women working in small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. But we know these women—and these companies—could really benefit from enhanced and sector-specific skills development programs and leadership training.”