Advancing Female Incumbent Workers in the Manufacturing Industry

Kentucky Community & Technical College System, Versailles KY

Investigators

Abstract

According to the 2015 Women in Manufacturing Study, women comprise 47% of the total United States labor force, but hold only 27% of manufacturing jobs. The Skills Gap in US Manufacturing estimates that six of every ten manufacturing jobs are unfilled because of a shortage of qualified applicants. One approach to increasing the labor pool for the critical manufacturing sector of the US economy may be to recruit more women into the field. This project aims to achieve this goal by implementing model practices to recruit and retain underrepresented groups, particularly females, in manufacturing education programs and employment. It will implement an apprenticeship-style training model, with the expectation that this experience will increase entry and retention of women in manufacturing jobs. Project findings may inform other STEM areas in which females and other groups are also underrepresented. The project may serve as a guide for evaluating project effectiveness in increasing participation of females and other underrepresented groups in manufacturing education and careers. Owensboro Community and Technical College proposes to increase the number of underrepresented groups, particularly females, in manufacturing training programs and careers in the greater Owensboro region of western Kentucky. The primary audience will be underrepresented groups, particularly females, already employed in production positions. The project includes the following goals: 1) Expand current program offerings to provide manufacturing training to female students and other underrepresented groups; 2) Implement proven retention strategies to ensure students are successful (intensive advising, an early orientation program, instruction and mentoring from a manufacturing faculty with experience working with females and underrepresented groups, and facilitated discussions); 3) Incorporate proven techniques to recruit underrepresented groups, particularly females, in non-traditional fields (ambassadors/mentors, underrepresented groups depicted in marketing activities, and information sessions); 4) Host facilitated discussions with experts to create dialogue between schools, colleges, and employers that promote increased awareness, perceptions, and communication leading to greater gender diversity in the manufacturing industry. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.