Manufacturing Institute Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America on STEP Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C., 04/04/18 –

The Manufacturing Institute and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) have partnered around the Institute’s 2018 STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards on April 10 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

The Manufacturing Institute will work with five local BGCA chapters to include Chicago, Ill., Cleveland, Ohio; Hartford, Conn.; Milwaukee, Wis.; and Omaha, Nebr. to expose students to manufacturing-related educational activities. Participants who are members of BGCA will create videos that have a manufacturing theme. One young woman from each of the five participating cities will be selected to attend and speak at the STEP Ahead Awards.

With nearly 700 attendees, the STEP Ahead Awards is a national gala, honoring 130 women in manufacturing—from the factory floor to the C-suite—for their leadership and accomplishments in the industry. The STEP Ahead Awards further encourage women to mentor and support the next generation of female talent to pursue manufacturing careers.

“Companies across the U.S. agree there is a talent shortage in manufacturing. Through the STEP Ahead Awards, we hope to take another step toward closing this gap by highlighting the stories of successful women in manufacturing and giving them a platform to be role models for the next generation,” said Carolyn Lee, Executive Director of The Manufacturing Institute. “We are extremely excited about this partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to demonstrate to young women what modern manufacturing careers are all about: making an impact and offering significant opportunities for growth.”

“Recruiting young women into manufacturing careers is critical for the future success of the industry,” said Julie Teer, Chief Development and Public Affairs Officer of BGCA. “We are excited about this partnership with The Manufacturing Institute because our goal is to provide the roadmap to great futures for young woman in an industry that has been the key to prosperity, as well as, the cause of economic growth.”

-About the MI-

The Manufacturing Institute (the Institute) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. As a non-partisan organization, the Institute is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation’s manufacturers. The Institute is the authority on the attraction, qualification and development of world-class manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

-About Boys and Girls Clubs of America-
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (bgca.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.