Canadian scholarship program helps women pursue a career in manufacturing
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) announces the establishment of a scholarship awards program for women in manufacturing. In partnership with Fiera Foods, CME has created this scholarship to support the education of women who are planning to pursue a career in manufacturing. CME and Fiera Foods will award a total of 10 scholarships each in the amount of $4,000 beginning 2018 through to 2020.
"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 Design. "By encouraging the studies of 10 deserving women who will soon enter the manufacturing workforce, the women in manufacturing scholarship awards will help shape the female role models of tomorrow and will be instrumental in bridging the gender gap."
"Canada's manufacturing sector is a pillar of our economy that presents rewarding opportunities for women. I am very proud that my daughter chose a career in manufacturing and I am looking forward to seeing more women have the chance to enter and succeed in our sector," said Boris Serebryany, President and CEO of Fiera Foods. "By partnering with CME, we're excited to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our scholarship recipients so they can help shape the future of the sector."
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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