CME works to improve female representation in the manufacturing sector with Canada's first Women in Manufacturing Success Forum on International Women's Day

TORONTO, March 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is proud to host today the first Women in Manufacturing (WIM) Success Forum to bridge the alarming gender gap in the manufacturing sector labour force. The event, held on International Women's Day, is a celebration of the successes of women and is the first event of its kind to encourage mentorship, community-building and experience-sharing amongst female peers.

"The manufacturing sector offers rewarding, innovative and lucrative careers for women but, unfortunately, only a small proportion of women, less than 6%, choose that path. This needs to change," said Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) National Board of Directors Chair Rhonda Barnet, President & COO of Steelworks "Today's event was a unique opportunity for women working in manufacturing to speak up and create change they want to see in the industry."

"Diversity in the manufacturing workforce is critical to the strength of the sector," added Barnet. "CME is taking a leadership role in implementing fact-based solutions to encourage women to enter careers in manufacturing and help build more inclusive workplaces for them to join."

The WIM success forum is a concrete step to implement CME's action plan to help attract and retain women in manufacturing.

About the Women in Manufacturing Initiative:

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters' (CME) Women in Manufacturing Working Group was launched by National Board of Directors Chair Rhonda Barnet in March 2017. The Working Group was created in response to a key recommendation from CME's Industrie 2030 initiative regarding the need to attract more women to manufacturing to help address chronic labour and skills shortages in the sector.

The Working Group includes women and men representing CME member companies from a wide range of sizes and industries. The Working Group is dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women to pursue careers in manufacturing.

About Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters:

Since 1871, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters has been helping manufacturers grow at home and thrive around the world. In 2016, CME released Industrie 2030 - a roadmap for doubling Canadian manufacturing activity by 2030. Our focus is to ensure the sector is dynamic, profitable, productive, innovative and growing. We aim to do this by strengthening the labour force, accelerating the adoption of advanced technology, supporting product commercialization, expanding marketplaces and, most importantly, ensuring a globally-competitive business environment. CME is a member-driven association that directly represents more than 2,500 leading companies who account for an estimated 82 per cent of manufacturing output and 90 per cent of Canada's exports.

SOURCE Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Stefi Proulx, Director of Communications & Branding, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, 613-292-6070, [email protected]