Region Comes Together to Encourage and Support Women in Manufacturing

For immediate release

San Bernardino, CA (April 23, 2019) Inland Empire Women in Manufacturing (IEWIM) — You hear it all the time: we need to get ready for tomorrow’s workforce. But is anyone really doing anything about this? With so many advances in technology, business is changing at a rapid rate that makes it difficult to anticipate. However, preparing for the future means much more than just keeping up with technology; it means pulling in a valuable resource that has consistently been underrepresented: women.

“As a STEM educator, it is my passion to get students, particularly young women prepared for the rapidly changing future,” said Shelly A. Munoz, educator and STEM consultant for Western Center Academy. “The majority of jobs that will exist in 2030 have not been created or invented yet. It is vital that we support women in this changing trend, offer educational solutions for the highly specialized skill set, and offer women a substantial opportunity in manufacturing.”

In answer to this battle cry of preparing for the future, a group in the Inland Empire has decided to meet the challenge head-on with an event on May 10, 2019 at the San Bernardino International Airport. California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), a non-profit that is partially funded by both the federal and state government to help grow manufacturing in California, along with multiple city governments, private business and local educators have come together to plan this “Women in Manufacturing” event.

“There is a perception among women that the manufacturing sector is not welcoming of them,” said Kusum Kavia, President of Combustion Associates, Inc. (CAI). “Events such as this one puts the spotlight on successful women entrepreneurs in the manufacturing industry and thereby plays a significant role in dispelling that idea and encourages women to consider it as a career/business option.”

The event, which is free for anyone to attend, will run from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm on that Friday and will include lunch, a jobs fair and powerful women CEO key-note speakers, including both Munoz and Kavia.

“Let’s get women into those skilled labor positions,” said Dennis Sonney of CMTC. “It’s not that women cannot do it, it’s the public perception of women pursuing a manufacturing career that needs to be modified.

Those that are interested in attending the summit may do so by registering here iewim.iechamber.org

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