Networking Group to be Established for Women Working in Manufacturing

Following a major business event, held by The Yorkshire Post and Made Smarter Yorkshire, a networking group for women working in manufacturing is to be established. A recent article, published by The Yorkshire Post, outlined the findings of the event, including the urgent need to encourage women and girls into the manufacturing sector in the face of a major skills shortage.

This event was attended by Techbuyer’s Head of Sustainability, AI and Automation, Astrid Wynne, who shared her perspective on the disconnect between computer science in an educational setting, and the skills needed within the IT manufacturing industry:

“We know there's a disconnect between the teaching of computer science and what actually happens on the computer hardware. We have computer science graduates who know very little about how a server works; how to build a server and all the creativity that goes with it. Our guys know that because they learn it on the job. If we could put those two channels into our education system, it could be really powerful.”

The event also explored how to encourage more women into the manufacturing industry, highlighting that workplaces must ensure that they’re female friendly. Jessica Armitage, Programme Manager from Made Smarter Yorkshire and Humber highlighted that:

"It can be easy for men who run businesses to not consider providing facilities for women. We need more understanding of what women's needs are in senior leadership so we can make sure workspaces are created with women in mind.”

Key Points and Questions

  • With a major skills gap developing in the manufacturing industry, introducing more women into the industry is essential.
  • There’s a disconnect between what we teach in schools about computers (very code heavy) and the manufacturing of IT hardware. Marrying these together could have a real impact.

Read the full article here to find out more about the events and its outcome.

Techbuyer’s Sustainable IT Solutions

Techbuyer is a global provider of sustainable IT solutions, including certified refurbished server technology. Our services are centred around providing a more environmentally friendly IT future for businesses globally. Find out more about our full range of services here.