Oregon Business Magazine's Manufacturing Issue Highlights Gender Gap

RapidMade CEO Renee Eaton

Kudos to Oregon Business Magazine for its feature, Women’s Work, which details the chronic gender gap that continues in manufacturing. The article is based on interviews with female professionals in trade organizations, manufacturing firms, and higher education.

Together they show how improving gender representation requires a concerted approach from across the industry to reshape an institutionalized culture of gender-based segregation and redefine archaic norms of what work women can and cannot do.

Strategies proposed include:

• Advising businesses that diversity will ease the labor shortage and improve the bottom line.

• Promoting manufacturing careers to female students and professionals.

• Providing supportive networks, like Women in Manufacturing and Oregon Tradeswomen, to help women secure employment and businesses find and retain female employees.

• Breaking down the “bro culture” prevalent in manufacturing.

RapidMade CEO Renee Eaton, a Women in Manufacturing chair of its Oregon chapter was among the women featured in the article. RapidMade is a Portland-based additive manufacturing (3D printing) and engineering services firm.

3D Printing Advocate Shares "The Practice of Innovation"

 Jan Baum to discuss Additive Manufacturing at Stevenson University's Dell Lecture (photo credit: What Weekly)

I worked and lived in Maryland just as 3D printing was gaining public acclaim.  There was a vibrant and supportive Additive Manufacturing community, centered in Baltimore, most often led by Jan Baum.  An early adopter and advocate, Jan recognized the power of 3D printing to transform manufacturing, and she promoted its adoption as a way for Maryland to solidify its position as a premier manufacturing base that would allow it to offer high-skilled workers a secure income.

I'm pleased to see that Jan, the founder and director of Object Lab and a professor at Towson University, is still actively spreading this important message.  Jan is one of the first (and most engaging) professionals I  met during my tenure in Maryland.  I loved that she was a female role model in a traditionally male field.

She'll be discussing "The Practice of Innovation" at the SOLVE Center on March 21 at 5 PM.

Women in Manufacturing is Coming to Oregon!

Join WiM Oregon for a Chapter Launch and Networking Event!

WiM Oregon is hosting its first event! Join WiM Oregon members as they promote WiM's newest Chapter at the Launch Party event. Hear Allison Grealis, President of WiM, speak about the work WiM does in supporting women across the manufacturing industry. This will be a great opportunity for local female manufacturing professionals and students to engage and network with women who have experience working in and with the manufacturing sector. The event will include dinner and a cash bar. We hope to see you there!

Allison Grealis 
President
Women in Manufacturing (WiM)

View Allison Grealis Bio.

Date:
Thursday, March 22, 2018

Time
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Location
Laurelwood Brew Pub
5115 NE Sandy Blvd  
Portland, OR 97213

Pricing
$20 for WiM members/nonmembers (this is special offer for nonmembers)
Dinner included with cost.

*Limited space available.

RSVP

Feel free to contact RapidMade's CEO Renee Eaton, the chapter's president at reaton@rapidmade.com, for more information.

Women in Manufacturing Launching Oregon Chapter to Support, Promote & Inspire

A local group of Women in Manufacturing are launching an Oregon chapter of WiM. As part of the national organization, WiM Oregon will support, promote and inspire women who are pursuing or considering careers in manufacturing.  We hope to encourage

“the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers.”

— http://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/aboutmain/about

As someone who literally grew up in a family-owned production plant, I was surprised - and disappointed - to discover how few females were in manufacturing when I graduated in the early 80s and started my management career in food processing.  More shocking are recent statistics showing an erosion of the gains I witnessed then... A 2013 survey found the

“women’s share of the manufacturing sector is currently just over 27 percent – the lowest level since 1971. This means that while women represent nearly half of the total U.S. labor force, they only constitute approximately a quarter of the U.S. manufacturing workforce.”

— https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeswomanfiles/.../the-rise-of-women-in-manufacturing/

According to SME, 

“Women comprise only 11.1% of executive officers, 14.2% of board directors and 2% of CEOs.”

These are statistics we hope to change.  If you or someone you know is interested in learning more, please contact me at reaton@rapidmade.com.