GOODYEAR PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR THE MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE’S AMBITIOUS PROGRAM TO CLOSE GENDER GAP IN INDUSTRY

Investment Will Bolster the Manufacturing Institute’s Women MAKE America “35x30” Initiative

The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers—has announced The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as a Madam C.J. Walker–level sponsor of its Women MAKE America “35x30” campaign, an ambitious industry-wide effort to increase the percentage of women in the manufacturing workforce to 35% by 2030 and help close the gender gap in the industry. The sponsorship will bolster the continued expansion of the program and support more than 1,000 women mentors. It will also support collaboration with manufacturers on strategies to attract and retain diverse female talent in the industry by supporting women through their education.

“Manufacturing has averaged 783,000 job openings per month over the past year, and there is a wide array of professional paths where women can make impactful contributions in our industry,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “The 35x30 campaign is an unprecedented plan to strengthen our workforce and build the talent pipeline. We are thrilled to have the support of industry leaders like Goodyear that recognize the power of women in the workforce. This initiative will help many women of all ages find their way into a successful, rewarding career in modern manufacturing.”

“The manufacturing industry is rapidly evolving, and we need more diverse talent to take the industry into the future, said Goodyear Americas President and NAM board member Steve McClellan. “Goodyear’s support of the 35x30 campaign is an important step in helping attract more of the diverse talent our industry needs to grow and thrive.”

In March 2022, Women MAKE America launched the 35x30 campaign to increase the percentage of women in the manufacturing workforce to 35% by 2030. The campaign aims to add half a million women to the manufacturing industry by 2030 and lead a nationwide movement designed to change perceptions by engaging face-to-face with emerging leaders and young women students. Women MAKE America works to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation. The goal is to shrink the gender gap and increase innovation by building inclusive networks and developing skills for women in the industry and to identify and elevate the role models who can inspire the next generation. Deploying strategies based on in-depth industry research, the Women MAKE America Initiative has empowered, inspired and connected more than 5,000 women and reached more than 20 million people.

In addition to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, sponsors of the 35x30 campaign include Arconic Foundation, Dow Inc., General Motors Company, Ketchie, Inc. and the Alcoa Foundation.

The MI grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all workers in America, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and the advancement of their career in manufacturing. As the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. For more information on the MI, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.