Women finding careers in manufacturing shouldn’t be an accident, yet 71% of women enter manufacturing unintentionally. The good news? They like it! In fact, 81% of women recommend a career in manufacturing according to a recent survey conducted by the Women in Manufacturing Association and Xometry (booth #433224). To nurture that positive trend and foster a sense of belonging, ownership, and inspiration among women in the manufacturing community, IMTS 2024 presents the ELEVATE Women Make Manufacturing Move (WMMM) Program. ELEVATE Women is an exclusive networking reception and energizing breakfast keynote running concurrently with IMTS 2024. The ELEVATE events will be held Sept. 9 and 11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place in the South Building, Grand Ballroom S100 A&B. The goals for ELEVATE Women are to: Collaborate and Learn: Share knowledge, gain perspective, and grow networks, all to bring new insight back home to their local communities and companies. Support Industry Evolution: Help establish a new standard that values inclusivity, openness, and recognizes diversity as a strength for brand growth and market success. Advance Careers: Find ideas and strategies to boost professional potential. ELEVATE Women Reception Back by popular demand, the ELEVATE Women Reception on the opening evening of IMTS 2024 will provide opportunities for women to share experiences, learn together, and celebrate successes with peers from across the industry. The reception includes brief motivational presentations by women leaders in manufacturing and plenty of networking time to build relationships with like-minded professionals. Breakfast and Keynote On Sept. 11, attendees will begin the day with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (before the IMTS show floor even opens to allow exhibitors to attend). The keynote presentation “Women in Motion: Manufacturing a Path to the Moon,” will be by an inspirational speaker who literally skyrocketed her career: Sharon Cobb, Ph.D., associate program manager for the NASA Space Launch System Program at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Cobb will discuss NASA's Artemis moon exploration campaign, how cutting-edge manufacturing techniques are changing the way NASA builds rockets, and the women who are blazing a path to the moon and beyond. For more information or to register for the IMTS ELEVATE: WMMM Program, visit the website.
Women at IMTS 2024 can inspire, support, and collaborate with their peers at the ELEVATE Women Make Manufacturing Move program. It includes an exclusive evening networking reception and an inspirational breakfast keynote by Dr. Sharon Cobb, a NASA leader on the Artemis moon exploration program. Learn more.