March 8th: There is the need to make women visible in the manufacturing sector

There is a need to make women visible in the world of manufacturing. Not only today. Not only this week, nor this purple month so-called March. But also, every day. 

I4MS is the European initiative to digitalise the manufacturing industry. It’s proud to announce that the consortium is mainly female: Mayte Carracedo, Irina Frigioiu, Ola Sawicka and Maria Roca from FundingBox, Paula Cervera, Clara Pont, Marjorie Grassler and Marta Portalés from Mobile World Capital; Begoña Sánchez and Hanna Kuittinen from Tecnalia. I4MS Ambassadors have also been selected following gender-balance: Weronika Reclaw, Caterina Ailiesei, Elvira León, Szaplonczay Orsolya or Tereza Šamanová.

I4Ms is composed of manufacturing SMEs and tech-providers, who can apply for support to experiment with different technologies to improve the innovation. But according to Business Wire, only 33% of women fill Manufacturing Industry Jobs (2020).

Women in manufacturing is the only national and global trade association dedicated to providing year-round support to women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. 

According to Cristina Oyón at the World Manufacturing Foundation, within the Covid-19 crisis, the possible job losses in the manufacturing industry are coming in three waves: the first wave is taking place in big companies; the second wave will have an impact on the supply chain businesses (especially SMEs), and the third wave will come when the time reduction schemes are running out. Such impacts risk rolling back the already fragile gains made in female labour force participation, when companies are forced to downsize, diversity is deprioritised, affecting women the most. 

Thus, making women visible in this world is key to reinforcing women in steam and industry. If we tell you to imagine the CEO’s face mentally, what does it look like? If we ask you to imagine a person crying in the office? What gender is represented in your mind? This is precisely what CPB London asked people to conceive in their 8M campaign.  

Now, imagine a manufacturing company: how many women are coming up to your mind? Or what does I4MS have behind the scenes? This is a European project held by empowered women driving innovation and aiming to digitalise the European Manufacturing sector and putting all the needed tools available.