I was interviewed by the Intelligent Enterprise Leaders Alliance for their latest publication recently as part of a panel of experts featuring Women in Manufacturing. Industry 4.0 is the next frontier of smart manufacturing with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. In the interview, we discussed significant opportunities for women in manufacturing today; how manufacturers can better support and retain women in leadership positions; and how the role of women in manufacturing will evolve within Industry 4.0.
Expert Panel Interview: Women in Manufacturing
Interview with
Lisa Anderson
Founder & President, LMA Consulting Group Inc.
From your perspective, what’s the most significant opportunity for women building careers in manufacturing today?
Women have huge potential to thrive in manufacturing. Manufacturers need top talent with skills in leadership, collaboration, communication, execution, technology, supply chain, innovation, organizational skills, and the ability to ask common sense questions. There is no doubt that women are equally as qualified as men for this type of role. There will be a massive surge in manufacturing, and so women have a unique opportunity to stand out from the crowd and take advantage of the opportunities that best fit their strengths by conveying your skills and experience in a way that will provide significant value to this growing profession.
How can manufacturers better support, recruit and retain women in leadership positions across their operations?
Manufacturers should promote opportunities in a way that highlights the value and career growth that can be gained by working in manufacturing leadership. I find that it is best to look for the best candidate so they can help to retain women by providing training, education, skills development, mentor opportunities, and experiences. The best way to advance women and manufacturing success is to develop apprenticeship and mentorship programs as well as providing opportunities to hold various roles and lead projects and programs.
What career advice would you offer young professionals entering the manufacturing space today?
There will be more opportunities in the next decade than at any other time in our lifetimes. If you believe in continuous learning, trialing new ideas, and are willing to put in the work to learn manufacturing and leadership, you will have vast opportunities to advance in your career rapidly and contribute to society.
How do you see the role of women evolving within Industry 4.0 and the future of smart manufacturing?
Women will have many opportunities to contribute in manufacturing with Industry 4.0. Not only will there be opportunities in innovation, design, technology, project management, leadership, and other disciplines, but women will have the opportunity to be on the forefront of modernizing and digitizing manufacturing for future success.
Reproduced in full from the interview in ‘Industry 4.0: The Next Frontier of Smart Manufacturing – Women in Manufacturing’, Intelligent Enterprise Leaders Alliance.