Manufacturing is Not Just a Man's Job

Gender divides in many industries have evaporated over the decades, and in the 21st century women can be everything from business leaders to coding rockstars. However, there are some roles that are still seen as fundamentally and irredeemably dominated by either male or female employees.

When it comes to manufacturing, there is definitely the enduring stereotype of this being a job for men. However, while traditional distinctions still ring true in some contexts, the hard work of trail-blazing women in this industry and improvements to employment practices are starting to change perceptions and open up opportunities for the next generation.

One of the reasons that manufacturing firms are eager to encourage more women to work in roles more usually occupied by men is that there is a shortage of skilled workers in many areas at the moment.

This means that even if firms are able to acquire equipment affordably from sites like Revelation Machinery, they might struggle to find anyone with the necessary skills to operate it.

The creation of more vocational education courses around the use of manufacturing kit has been pursued by various institutions and establishments, with many explicitly setting out to grab the attention of females looking for training with a view to securing a good career at the end of it.

As machinery becomes more complex and reliant on automation, manufacturing is also moving away from the era in which physical exertion was a major part of the job. Today it is more important to be computer literate and a quick learner than it is to boast brute strength. As such the barriers to entry which would have dissuaded women from considering manufacturing jobs in the past have been removed by the rise of technology.

Another aspect of manufacturing that has made it less attractive to women in bygone eras is the reliance on shift work which many firms put in place in the early part of the 20th century and then took a long time to move away from.

This led to factory jobs being fairly anti-social, since striking a good balance between work commitments and domestic life was difficult if you could be working all day one week and all night the next.

Again, modernization to the methods and machinery, as well as progressive changes to company policies made to accommodate a more diverse workforce, has helped do away with such undesirable aspects of the job. Companies have the flexibility to offer employees shifts that will not get in the way of having a life away from the factory floor, which is ideal for women who want to have a career and raise a family at the same time.

Jobs in manufacturing for women are gaining traction not just because there is ample demand for skilled workers and lots of training options available, but also because salaries are very competitive and career trajectories can offer plenty of progression to those with the ambitions to achieve.

Basic hourly wages are solid, but it is the prospect of making significantly more by taking advantage of overtime work that can seriously bolster the amount of take home pay that women can expect from manufacturing roles.

More businesses are also taking steps to improve employee job satisfaction by offering perks that are made available with females in mind. For example, wellness programs are increasingly common, allowing workers to find a better balance for their physical and mental states through things like exercise classes, training courses, community projects and much more besides.

While women are clearly being targeted for recruitment into manufacturing because businesses need more team members to operate their equipment and cope with demand, there are other unique things that they bring to the table that would otherwise be missing from the equation.

Chiefly it is through having a diversity of viewpoints and outlooks that real innovations can be made, since if the work is only seen from a male perspective, the full spectrum of opportunities for amelioration will not be encompassed.

In short, manufactures that want to push the envelope are incentivizing the employment of women because it is good for business.

While not every manufacturing firm is as enlightened and attuned to the rise of women workers in this field, there has never been a better time for females to enter this industry and find out why it is no longer a man's job, but a place with something for everyone.