HP Innovation Journal Issue 14: Spring 2020 | Page 48

Carolyn Lee, executive director of the Manufacturing
Institute—the workforce and education partner of the
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)—says
that skills training and a coordinated effort to combat
the industry’s perception issue are breaking down
barriers on the hiring end. However, women remain
underrepresented in the sector.
“Over the last 30 years, we have seen women pursuing
fewer careers in STEM, and while this trend is starting
to reverse, it’s not at the pace we need,” says Tracy
Keogh, HP’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “The tech
industry and educational institutions both must play a
role in engaging more women in the tech community and
creating environments where they can thrive.”
The National Association of Manufacturers’ STEP (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Production) Women’s Initia-
tive is committed to closing the gender gap in the industry.
It offers women professional development and networking
opportunities, and highlights women role models. The
STEP Women’s Initiative aims to both create support net-
works for women in the industry, and encourage them to
pay it forward and mentor the next generation.
Beyond generating demand for STEM skills, automation
is reshaping the talent needs of manufacturers in other
ways. Dee Coorough, director of maintenance at Lippert
Components, a recreational vehicle parts manufacturer,
says that the new jobs in the sector require critical
thinking and complex information-processing skills that
require a human touch.
“We need someone who is organized; thinks things through
clearly and efficiently; is a lifelong learner; and can follow,
interpret, and author written processes,” she says.
SKILLING UP TO SHAPE THE FUTURE
To generate these new skills and opportunities, women
themselves can take action. Based on her own experience
in manufacturing, Warren recommends going back to
school and gaining certifications. She herself is currently
pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering
technology from Murray State University, which she
hopes to complete by 2022.
46
HP Innovation Journal Issue 14
“If these transitions are
navigated well, for women as
well as men, it could mean
higher-paid, better jobs.”
—M EKALA KRISHNAN
Senior fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute
She also suggests asking management to attend supplier
workshops showcasing new technologies, joining moti-
vational groups such as Women in Manufacturing for
networking, and staying up to date on industry develop-
ments by reading and attending conferences. “All of these
things combined together would help today’s woman find
her place in the growing manufacturing world,” she says.
In addition to encouraging STEM and continuing education,
Krishnan says there are organizational changes companies
can make to support women’s transition to future jobs and
suggests that departments charged with increasing diversity
interact with those focused on automation.
Given that women are often primary caregivers and dis-
proportionately take on unpaid work in their households,
they may have limited access to reskilling programs,
depending on the time and location these take place. She
recommends offering online training for greater flexi-
bility. Other initiatives include offering telecommuting
arrangements to increase women’s mobility, and paying
attention to hiring and review practices to raise aware-
ness of job opportunities and fight unconscious biases.
“The important thing to recognize is that if these
transitions are navigated well, for women as well as men,
it could mean higher-paid, better jobs,” Krishnan says.
For companies facing a looming skills shortage, Lee sees
reskilling and education programs as a critical part of the
solution. “When we started the STEP initiative in 2012,”