Susan Bysiewicz (opinion): Women leading the way in manufacturing

That early training propelled her to success — quickly advancing through the company to her role as Lead EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) Specialist and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Team Leader, which opened a world of possibilities before she completed high school. For young women like Victoria, that exposure to the manufacturing environment in high school allowed her to pursue a career immediately following graduation. But beyond that, many companies will offer, and even encourage, their employees to pursue higher education through tuition reimbursement.

And for women who are considering how they would fit into the sector and still raise a family, consider companies like Penn Globe in North Branford, which is a family-owned business led by Marcia LaFemina for the past 30 years and is America’s older outdoor lighting manufacturer. As president, Marcia runs the company with her sister/vice president Michelle Stonier, both second-generation owners. Penn Globe created a whole new shift — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — to better accommodate the schedule of working parents so they are available when their kids leave for school and when they get home.

Then there are companies like Hubbard-Hall Inc., a $50 million chemical company with three locations on the Eastern seaboard, headquartered in Waterbury and run by Molly Kellogg. Molly grew up in the manufacturing sector, now representing the sixth generation to run the company. Over two decades, Molly worked her way up from various ground-floor positions to her current role as president and CEO, where she now helps to inspire the next generation of women to find their place in manufacturing. And if we consider the pipeline that brought Victoria to Westminster Tool, manufacturers taking on interns to create opportunity and exposure is another innovative way I have seen women leaders usher in a new generation of women into this industry. For example, this past summer, Molly took on an intern from Western Connecticut State University whom Molly hopes to hire as soon as her intern finishes her degree.

Manufacturing is strong in Connecticut, and it is even stronger with women leading the way. There are so many companies I wish I could highlight more, like Mercantile Development in Shelton owned by Lucia Furman, Rhythm Brewing Co. in New Haven owned by Alisa Bowens-Mercado, Phoenix Manufacturing in Enfield owned by Krystyna Paluch, Chapman Manufacturing in Durham owned by Tracy Camassar, or Richard’s Machine in Newington owned by Lillian Bartkowicz. This is only a small snapshot of the women-owned and -led manufacturers that I have been so fortunate to visit. And there are so many more within our state that I have yet to see.

The manufacturing challenges we have today, and in our future, will demand a diverse, multifaceted approach to problem solving, production and leadership. And I am sure that having women in these roles will help to create solutions to those challenges and much more.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve worked so hard to highlight women-owned manufacturing businesses during visits and across my social media channels, lead panel discussions, and prioritize more collaborative efforts with state agencies via the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls to ensure we have a strong and inclusive manufacturing pipeline. 

Like many women who end up owning or running a manufacturing business, manufacturing might not be the first career they thought of. Circumstances tend to bring women into these roles, which over time becomes a cosmic alignment of fate because with more women leading manufacturing business we will have more young women and girls seeing these careers as viable options for themselves.

Nonetheless, my efforts to spotlight women breaking glass ceilings in the manufacturing sector can be made more impactful with support from the state’s manufacturing companies. We can close the gender pay gap by encouraging women to work in STEM fields, which typically provide the highest paying employment opportunities. The time to focus our efforts on encouraging women and girls is now.

As other industries continue to make strides in advancing gender diversity not just within companies, but among their leadership teams, the manufacturing sector continues to lag in terms of female representation. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that women represent only 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce. When you look at leadership, only one in four manufacturing leaders are women. These numbers are only more dire when it comes to women of color.

According to a report from the Manufacturers Alliance, by 2031, the manufacturing sector is expected to employ about 12 million individuals overall. Meaning, that if current trends hold, of the growth expected in the coming years, only about 4 million would be women — just 30 percent of the workforce.

But we know that to inspire girls to pursue a career in this sector with confidence, it takes encouragement and hands-on experiences from an early age. At almost every manufacturing visit I’ve had or panel I’ve moderated, several women would say to me, “I wish I had known I could do this earlier.”

Connecticut has the opportunity for girls to get that early experience. Tech schools like Vinal Technical High School in Middletown, Manchester High School, or Eli Whitney Technical High School in Hamden offer advanced manufacturing courses that expose students to the sector firsthand, provide apprenticeships at an earlier age, and even allow students to earn college credit while they complete high school.

We also know that by providing these experiential opportunities that show what a career in manufacturing looks like, we can battle many myths that still surround the sector. Manufacturing is not the dirty, dangerous and dull profession it used to be. It’s increasingly safe, clean — high-tech — and it supports more than operators on the shop floor. 

Beyond simply learning more about the products we make in our state, I’ve seen the incredible opportunity for women to grow within this sector. Girls and young women can (and should) see a true career path in manufacturing as an option, such as in design, marketing, administration, finance, sales, cybersecurity and so much more. The career options are truly endless if we can recruit and retain women in this sector.

If we take the steps to retain women by reimagining our recruiting efforts and the day-to-day workflow, women can grow within our manufacturing companies. Throughout my visits to manufacturers, I’ve been inspired by the women leaders focusing their efforts on this very issue and making the necessary changes in the industry to account for gender diversity.

Men are still significantly more likely to seek out a career in manufacturing compared to their female counterparts — and more likely to have direct referrals to the industry. That’s why partnerships with our high schools and state colleges can be so impactful to helping recruit more women.

Simply, it is just not enough to make the pledge to hire more women. We need to remove barriers, expand opportunities and think creatively in recruitment efforts for women, especially those who are younger, if we truly want to increase the presence of more women and women of color in the industry.

When we invest in workforce training programs and create opportunities for young women to find their place in manufacturing, we equip them, and our state, with the tools for success. So, I encourage all of you to join me on this manufacturing journey of continued growth, innovation and expansion here in Connecticut — with our girls and women.

Susan Bysiewicz is lieutenant governor of Connecticut.