Women in Manufacturing is a national trade association headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that promotes and supports women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in manufacturing. It is the only national trade association dedicated to providing year-round support to women in manufacturing careers, representing more than 850 members.
History
WiM was founded in 2011 as “Women in Metalforming” to be a supplementary group by the Precision Metalforming Association. The following year, PMA recognized the need for an organization that could serve as a national resource for women in the manufacturing industry and the name was changed to Women in Manufacturing. WiM operated under PMA until 2015 when it became a separate, independent 501 trade association in 2015. In November 2016, WiM launched its Education Foundation, which is officially designated as a 501.
Organization
Membership
WiM is a membership-based organization with three categories: Student, Professional, and Corporate. Members are able to participate in virtual and in-person networking opportunities, professional development webinars, online discussion communities, and educational opportunities both regionally and nationally.
WiM has a developing network of state-based Chapters which operate under the jurisdiction of the WiM national organization. Chapters are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Funding
WiM receives funding from membership and programs fees, foundations, and corporations.
Partnerships
In 2016, WiM and Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, with the support of the GE Foundation, collaborated to launch the Leadership Lab for Women in Manufacturing, which provides executive education and training to individuals in mid-to-high level management roles in manufacturing. The Leadership Lab for Women in Manufacturing builds on the CWRU's Leadership Lab for Women in STEM, created in 2014 to provide professional development for women in male-dominated industries. Also in 2016, WiM partnered with Arconic Foundation to create the Virtual Learning Series, a program consisting of six bimonthly webinars covering a variety of industry-related topics.
Events & Programs
WiM's largest annual event, the WiM SUMMIT, launched in 2010. The annual SUMMIT brings members together to a location that changes each year, affording attendees the opportunity to experience manufacturing and develop their networks throughout the United States. The next SUMMIT is scheduled to take place in Hartford, CT, on September 13-15, 2017. WiMWorks, WiM’s proprietary career center resource, is a platform for connecting job seekers with employers. The system’s features include a board for job postings, an anonymous résumé bank, and an internal messaging system for users.
