Women in manufacturing

Exploring the gender gap

The 2015 Women in manufacturing study: Exploring the gender gap was commissioned by The Manufacturing Institute, APICS, and Deloitte to understand why manufacturing is not attracting, retaining, and advancing its fair share of talented women. From addressing the talent shortage to improved financial performance, the business case for increasing the share of women in the manufacturing workforce is persuasive. Based on survey responses from over 600 women professionals predominantly across the manufacturing industry, the study shares perspectives for the path forward to help address the talent issue.

Celebrating success, achievement, and potential of women in manufacturing

Building upon the women in manufacturing research previously published by The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, senior executives representing automotive, aerospace and defense, process, and diversified manufacturing convened at an executive roundtable to discuss how manufacturers can best attract, retain and advance talented women in the manufacturing industry. They explored related challenges manufacturers face and made recommendations to address the challenges.

During the roundtable, executives discussed the significant concerns they all have about finding enough talent to drive their organizations in the future and how vitally important women can be to helping address that concern. They focused on the C-suite’s role in changing the corporate culture in the manufacturing industry, the American public’s perception of the industry, and what companies can do to create a strong employer brand.

Untapped resource

In 2012, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute set out to understand why manufacturing isn't attracting, retaining, and advancing its fair share of talented women. We surveyed more than 600 women in manufacturing, across functional roles and levels, to gain their perspectives on how effectively their companies recruit, retain, and advance women. We conducted one-on-one interviews with more than a dozen women in range of roles from senior leadership to individual contributors to gain their insights on human capital and talent development in the manufacturing industry. This article represents the collective voice of women in manufacturing and is intended to inform the strategies that manufacturing leaders are using to increase the number of women among their ranks.