The female talent that the industry is wasting
León , Guanajuato.- The gap in women 's integration in the industry is linked to a culture that keeps them primarily in the role of caregivers. By excluding them, companies waste 50% of available human talent .
Female leaders from industry, academia, and the production line participated in the webinar " Women Transforming Work Culture in Manufacturing ," organized by the magazines Plastics Technologies Mexico and Modern Machine Shop Mexico . They agreed that the main challenge is job placement, as they must earn technical credibility, and emphasized that the industry needs more female voices.
Manufacturing is not an exclusively male domain: both genders have equal capabilities. To achieve equality, men must assume responsibilities, promote public policies, and foster awareness.
Technology and training to close gapsSusana González Castiello , president of the Jalisco Tooling Cluster , noted that technology, training, and talent management are key to closing gaps . Part of her work focuses on attracting and retaining new generations; digitalization, she said, has favored the development of gender-neutral work teams.
Today, the role of women has gained importance and diversified: they not only hold management positions, but have also consolidated their technical credibility.
Diversity that improves resultsPatricia Zambrano Robledo , a doctor in Materials Engineering from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, indicated that an imbalance still exists in the industry, although jobs previously considered strenuous have become lighter. She added that the inclusion of women in work teams improves solutions, thanks to their skill and attention to detail.
Although few women lead companies, there are school programs in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields to highlight their work and motivate girls and adolescents to pursue these paths. Zambrano recalled that, when she was a student, it was difficult to find women's restrooms at the university, something that has changed over time.
Companies, she said, have strengthened female integration: women achieve the highest academic averages and, proportionally, more graduate. However, the challenge remains their labor market integration. She emphasized that transnational companies are the ones that most promote their participation through global policies.
Companies that invest in female talentLaura Balmaceda , CEO of Cajaplax, noted that 64% of the workforce is women. The company has a university outreach department that serves as a talent pool and recruits interns. They have implemented an organizational development program so their employees can build an internal career.
Balmaceda emphasized that "women have adapted to the demands of the industry: we have leaders, managers, and coordinators. The company has been key in developing talent without limiting itself to stereotypes." She indicated that they face international legislation requiring new technologies, which has driven investment in automation in response to high demand, especially in their main supply line: pharmaceutical laboratories.
Paths that pave the wayGema Martínez Chaparro, High Barrier, Stretch, and Shrink Wrap product manager at Poly Rafia, recalled that she started as an intern and that the company encourages the development of employees regardless of gender. She emphasized that technical growth and experience depend on each individual.
She shared that she was the first woman to lead an operational area, which meant paving the way for others, demonstrating her ability with results. She faced resistance from some colleagues, but she handled it by pointing out errors without confrontation. For her, building strong work teams is essential for growth; therefore, she encouraged everyone to celebrate achievements, share knowledge, and accept that we never stop learning.
The event was moderated by Natalia Ortega , editorial director of Plastics Technologies Mexico, and Ángela Castro , senior web editor of Modern Machine Shop Mexico.
A.M
A journalist at AM Newspaper for ten years. During her training, she began as an investigative reporter on Raúl Olmos's team, working on special investigations. For the past eight years, she has specialized in business and corporate reporting. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the Latin American Institute of Sciences and Humanities. She holds a Diploma in Digital Journalism, including a Diploma in Digital Economic Journalism from the UDG Virtual University.
AM
