The second Women in Manufacturing: Changing Perceptions event took place on Thursday 19 September at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry. The initiative was formed in 2022 and the first event in 2023, growing year-on-year. Attendance this year was at a all time high; over 100 attendees more than 2023. Importantly, this also included an increased male representation which is vital for ensuring allyship in the community.
The make-up of the UK manufacturing sector has only 26% of the workforce being women, far from the 35% industry target by 2035. So, what do we do? The latest report Women in Manufacturing 2024: Addressing labour shortages and bridging the gender gap, outlines actionable insights for the sector and covers areas from gender bias in the workforce to inclusive innovation.
As part of the event’s opening remarks, Dr Lynne O’Hare, Chief Portfolio Officer at HMVC, noted that in 2024 we shouldn’t need to be here. “Although it’s great, I want us to be here for different reasons in years to come. It is unfortunate that we’re still in a place where not everyone is judged on their merit and contributions but their gender, with women in the industry earning 17% less than their male counterparts.”
Events like Women in Manufacturing: Changing Perceptions need to be had now, so we don’t have to keep having them in the future. The issue of gender equality in the sector is not just the issue of women but of everyone, and we need to collaborate to make change.
What is inclusive innovation?
Kicking-off the day was a panel session on inclusive innovation, a term I wasn’t wholly familiar with. To Abi Hird, Founder and Director at Defankle Innovation, it means better education, funding and products that do not harm or marginalise individuals and hinder opportunities.
To ensure businesses are inclusive we need to be having new conversations with those in leadership positions and discussing what plans are in place to improve this issue. It is not just about a cultural shift within teams and groups but more so, company-wide changes that span across different sectors.
Industry best practices
In smaller ten-minute sessions, individuals from different areas of the sector presented what they believed were examples of best practices across the industry to improve work for employees. First up was Michelle Quinn, the first female director at Almond Engineering, who joined the company at 17 years old on a three-week temp placement. She discussed how the company has implemented flexible working with core hours of 9.00-3.00pm. This allows for caring responsibilities and social activities outside of these hours. Even though this doesn’t financially benefit the company directly, as it must pay for the office to be open longer hours, it has resulted in higher productivity and happier employees.
Next, Kate Barclay, Skills and Talent Consultant at the UK Bioindustry Association, stressed how we cannot innovate without everyone. She highlighted data that shows the number of women entering the sector, related to those progressing into senior leadership roles. do not correlate. We need to ensure that we are making space for women through their careers and so that they progress into leadership roles.
Emma Cole and Sonal Bhatt, from Made Smarter Programme at the Department of Business and Trade, then explained how they job share seamlessly and how it can be an excellent use of resources and people, as it allows them to work flexibly around their lives. They encouraged others, if in the correct position, to ask for the same and explained to manufacturing business owners how this can be extremely beneficial to both the employee and the business.
Open conversation
Some insightful discussions were had over lunch with women from UCAS, Engineering UK, Innovate UK and others around why there are far higher numbers of women reading STEM related courses at university than those we see in the workplace. At what point do we lose them, do they lose interest in the sector and what drives them out? It was clear it is an issue many industry bodies are investigating and it could have a huge effect on the number on women entering manufacturing.
Another issue discussed was manufacturing in schools and we need to encourage primary and secondary school aged pupils to take an interest in STEM.
Unconscious bias with associated digital technologies
In an afternoon breakout session, Zoi Roupakia, UCI Policy and AI Research Lead, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge and Mey Goh, Co-Director, Made Smarter Innovation Centre on People-Led Digitalisation, discussed the bias with digital technologies and AI.
They covered a range of topics from PPE and clothing on manufacturing sites that often do not fit women, to the way in which AI systems perceive feminine language as negative or bad. A quick search on an AI image generator of ‘engineer’ show images of men in overalls or sitting at computers. “The data available on these AI systems should not be reflective of the reality, they should go beyond this and reflect society’s expectations,” said Zoi.
Early career paths
A highlight of the day for me was the penultimate panel session with four young women in varying stages of their careers. One of those, Lucy Morely, Manufacturing Research Engineer, currently working at the AMRC, coined the term ‘you cannot be what you cannot see,’ and it stuck with me. If young girls at school and university do not have access to the world of manufacturing and are shown the options and career paths available, how can they see that as something they wish to do. A few who sat on the panel recall being asked again and again by teachers if they really wanted to take STEM subjects, and if they were sure it was the route for them.
Another common theme of the panel was around being the ‘token woman’ within a class or workplace. Tace Morgan, Senior Engineer (Technical Lead for Sustainable Manufacturing Processes) at AMRC, remembers being asked to stand in photos for projects or classes she didn’t take as it looked better to have a girl in them, rather than all boys. However, it is not always a bad thing; if other women see someone like them, it can be a motivator.
Having four extremely successful young women on the panel reflected the progress in the sector but also the direction of travel to get more. With women making up 51% of the world population, it seems that the industry could do with more of their input.
Summary
As my first year attending the event, it was hugely insightful; hearing from many women (and men) across the sector about their experiences in manufacturing and what their business and personal goals are within it. Without women, the manufacturing sector cannot continue to innovate and achieve at the scale it wants to. Research has shown that businesses with greater diversity in their workforce are generally more successful and exude greater levels of innovation. With the sector grappling a skills shortage, a focus on attracting and engaging with more women should be a no-brainer in terms of ensuring a continued pipeline of talent in manufacturing, now and in the future.
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