45. Allison Grealis, Founder & President of the Women in Manufacturing Association (WIM), on why WIM was founded, expanding in the US and globally, and what's really working to help women move up in their careers

How do you expand your membership across the country and around the world? What’s really working to recruit women into industry, and help them move up in their careers?In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Allison Grealis, President and Founder of the Women in Manufacturing Association (WIM). Allison introduces WIM, shares why and how she founded WIM, and the initiatives behind WIM’s astounding growth. Allison discusses: How women now represent 30% of the manufacturing workforce, up from 24% over a decade ago.How WIM’s goals are to have the manufacturing workforce be 50% women, AND have more women in leadership roles.How the pandemic and virtualization of WIM’s programming allowed the association to go global. How WIM is expanding internationally by working with companies around the world to organize and host events.How WIM helps companies recruit through virtual career fairs.How WIM spent two years developing training that helps women move into leadership roles.How companies find WIM through attendance and speaking at industry events, podcast interviews, LinkedIn groups, and social media postings.WIM’s partnership with Jobs for the Future to help recruit more women into registered apprenticeship programs.WIM’s podcast, Hear Her Story!References:Women in Manufacturing Association websiteHear Her Story podcastWIM 2023 SummitJobs for the Future