154: How Women are Thriving in the Manufacturing Workforce with Allison Grealis, President & Founder of Women in Manufacturing

Women have been advancing in the manufacturing workforce for some time, but what actions can leaders in the industry take to continue that trend? 

In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we are joined by Allison Grealis, President and Founder of Women in Manufacturing (WIM), a 20,000+ member global trade association that is committed to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who choose to enter the industry. 

Allison discusses what motivated her to launch WIM, how the organization has evolved since and how manufacturing companies can meaningfully attract more women into the workforce. 

Plus, she shares her personal story and how her unique background has helped her make her mark in manufacturing. 

In this episode, find out: 

• What Women in Manufacturing (WIM) do 
• How Allison’s unique background has helped her  
• How her organization has evolved 
• Advice for manufacturing pros addressing gaps in the industry 
• How WIM has contributed to the shift toward more women in the industry 
• Why the organization have three leadership tracks (with potential for more) 
• How leaders can meaningfully encourage more women into the industry 

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Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Manufacturing leaders - as you see gaps in the industry, do your due diligence, see if your company could be the right provider of a solution for that gap, and then take action.” 
• “I quickly realized I could create a community that can be inclusive of all people in all facets of manufacturing.” 
• “Over time, we have worked very closely with our manufacturing members to help design programs that match the challenges they have within their workforce.”  

Links & mentions: 

• Connect with Allison on LinkedIn 
• Follow Women in Manufacturing on LinkedIn 
• Follow Women in Manufacturing on Twitter/X 
• Follow Women in Manufacturing on Instagram 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.