Manufacturing has several myths that have been disproven. One of the most prominent stereotypes is that the industry is for men only. This is the most untrue of all the myths. Women are just as capable of thriving in the manufacturing industry as men, just like any other work force.
Despite making up nearly 48% of the workforce, only about 30% of working women have jobs in manufacturing. This gender gap needs to change, and educational facilities are contributing to this by encouraging women to study STEM subjects.
Benefits of Women in the Workforce
The fact is, there is a shortage of skilled workers in the manufacturing industry, and it’s time for employers to realize that they should be recruiting more women. More women in the industry is a benefit, as gender diversity improves innovation and employee morale. But to get more women to fill this gap, they need to recognize that they are welcome on the workforce floor. Employers should showcase more female workers in marketing and recruitment campaigns, while schools and training programs can encourage younger women to consider it a viable career path.
Iconic Women in Manufacturing History
It’s surprising that the stereotype that “manufacturing isn’t for women” is so persistent, as women in the industry isn’t even a new concept. Historically, women have been involved in all aspects of manufacturing, from the factory floor to scientific discoveries and even owning the factories themselves.
Lowell Mill Girls
Believe it or not, women have been in manufacturing since the First Industrial Revolution. By the 1840s, the textile factories of Lowell, MA had recruited over 8,000 workers, with women between the ages of 15 and 35 making up nearly two-thirds of the workforce. These women were known as the Lowell Mill Girls. While they only got paid half of what the men did, this chance to work in the manufacturing industry allowed them to gain, for the time period, unheard of economic independence.
These women not only challenged gender stereotypes, but hiring them helped displace child labor, which had been unfortunately commonplace before then. As time went on, many women began to join the broader American labor movement, protesting increasingly harsh working conditions in factories. In 1845, they also came together to form the first union of working women in the United States; the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association.
Madame C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker, the first female self-made millionaire, got her fortune through the manufacturing industry. Born Sara Breedlove, she started the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, which specialized in creating cosmetics and hair care products for African-American women. In 1908, Walker opened her own factory and beauty school, which employed several thousand female workers over the course of a decade. In fact, by 1917, the company claimed to have trained nearly 20,000 women.
Walker is an inspiration to women in the manufacturing industry. At the National Negro Business League in 1912, she said, “I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there, I was promoted to the washtub. From there, I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there, I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground.” By the time of her death in 1919, she was the wealthiest African-American woman in the United States.
Rosie the Riveter
“We Can Do It!” has long been a slogan tied to women’s fight for equality. Coined to help motivate the women in America as they worked in factories and shipyards during WWII, the slogan was paired with illustrations of Rosie the Riveter – an iconic depiction of a strong female war production worker. Today Rosie has become a symbol of American feminism and women’s economic advantage as a whole. But she was more than just one poster. She encompassed a manufacturing movement.
The war had created a massive need for munitions, war supplies, and other manufactured goods, but the labor shortage caused by men being shipped off to fight overseas had the US government turning to women to take their place. Over five million women heard this call to action, and social barriers were broken as African American, Hispanic, White, and Asian women worked side by side to support their country. The women, many of whom had been housewives, found satisfaction in this type of work and were reluctant to return to the lower-paying fields of more “traditional” women’s work after the war.
Stephanie Kwolek

Did you know that many military personnel owe a lot to one particular woman in manufacturing history? Stephanie Kwolek began working as a chemist in 1946 to earn enough money to attend medical school. However, she soon fell in love with her work, which combined her interests of science and textiles. In 1965, she was one of the very few female scientists working at DuPont, and volunteered for a project to manufacture a strong but lightweight fiber to use in tires. The solution she created was not as expected but once it was spun, a new fiber was discovered–Kevlar.
Kevlar, being both strong and lightweight, ended up being a game-changer. It’s best known for being used in bulletproof vests, but it’s also been used in manufactured goods like airplane parts, building materials, and cellphone cases. It can also be found in manufacturing machines, as many rubber products like converter belts, hoses, and seals use Kevlar as a reinforcing fiber.
The fact is, there is no reason for women to feel they don’t belong in manufacturing. They’ve always been part of the industry at every level and have made some of its biggest discoveries and impacts. Women absolutely belong in the manufacturing industry, and should take advantage of the training and career opportunities programs NAMC can offer.