Next week, Women in Manufacturing (WiM) will hold their 7th annual Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT in CT. The event takes place September 13-15 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford and will draw hundreds of manufacturing professionals from around the country.
WiM is a national organization dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. There are community chapters throughout the U.S., including a CT chapter. Connecticut also happens to be the home state of WiM’s current Chairwoman, Sheila LaMothe. LaMothe worked for more than a decade at TRUMPF Inc.’s Farmington location in marketing & public relations.
The Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT is the only national conference of its kind. Previous cities that hosted the event include Nashville, TN; Minneapolis, MN; Schaumburg, IL; Dearborn, MI; Milwaukee, WI; and Cleveland, OH. Next week’s event in Hartford covers a variety of networking and learning opportunities including keynote presentations, roundtable discussions, breakout sessions, and manufacturing plant tours. Local manufacturers featured on the tour circuit include CNC Software, Hartford Flavor Company, TRUMPF Inc., and Pratt & Whitney.
As local industry, HR, and recruiting professionals are aware, the lack of a skilled workforce in the manufacturing sector is a serious challenge for CT. As we mentioned in a recent blog post about closing the skills gap, if we work to change the negative perception about working in manufacturing, engage the younger generation (particularly females who are under-represented in the industry) and strengthen partnerships between employers, government and associations like WiM, we can accomplish our mission of lessening the skills gap in our state.
Let us know if you or anyone from your organization is headed to the Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT in Hartford! And if you’re looking for top manufacturing talent for your company, connect with an A.R. Mazzotta recruiting specialist. And if you’re a job seeker currently looking to put your skills to work in the manufacturing sector, we have several opportunities in the Middletown, Meriden, and Deep River areas. Learn more.