Senior leaders to showcase manufacturing to next generation

Several women with senior roles in manufacturing firms across Bradford are to open their firm’s doors to inspire the next generation of females.

The initiative is taking place as at is revealed that women make up make up 23% of the manufacturing workforce. In the latest report by manufacturing industry body, the EEF, 9% of those females in the industry are engineers and only 5% are in management positions.

As part of Bradford Manufacturing Week, air management firm Mansfield Pollard is offering site tours, work experience days and talks to the district’s young people.

As well as being led by managing director Joanna Robinson, 60 % of Mansfield Pollard’s board is made up of female directors. Robinson will be joined by finance director, Allison Howgate, and sales director, Louise Frankland.

Robinson said that she believed “a diverse and inclusive workforce is crucial to encouraging different perspectives and ideas that drive innovation.”

She added: “As one of the few women in this industry, I believe that I have a responsibility to promote career opportunities for both sexes and in particular I hope that my example inspires other women to pursue careers in manufacturing.

“Being involved with initiatives such as Bradford Manufacturing Week give us chance to speak to the young people in our community and inspire them to follow in our footsteps.”

GESIPA, the female-led blind rivet manufacturer, is also opening its doors during the week, with the intention of encouraging career choices based around STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

Managing director Diana Scholefield, who joined the company in 1995 as a project engineer and worked her way to become MD in 2014, is offering site visits and school talks.

She said: “Being a woman in manufacturing and engineering can be challenging as it’s such a male dominated environment. I’ve had many hurdles to overcome over the years, in particular around proving myself to my peers.

“But as more women join the sector, the gap is getting smaller and with female role models at the helm of a raft of successful manufacturing businesses, we have a responsibility to encourage more young people – and particularly young women – in.”

Nick Garthwaite, President of Bradford Chamber and managing director of international chemicals and detergents manufacturer Christeyns, launched the Bradford Manufacturing Week concept in April.

 Garthwaite said: “It is proven that a diverse workforce performs better and having a healthy gender balance is crucial for the manufacturing sector. As international businesses, GESIPA and Mansfield Pollard set a great example for young people, not just in our district, but across the nation.

“This may be the inaugural year for Bradford Manufacturing Week but we are confident that with such fantastic support and buy in, it will be embraced across the country from next year and together, we can change the face of the future of manufacturing in the UK.”

Bradford Manufacturing Week aims to engage with around 75 local schools, reaching 14-18 year old school students to create 1,000 work experience days across the Bradford district.