Renishaw supports STEM diversity in Mexico

22 November 2022

In 1991, women accounted for only 19.1 per cent of employees in manufacturing across the globe. By 2021, the figure had only increased by 17.4 per cent. In Mexico, only 19.7 percent of the engineering workforce is female. To support women pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers (and help reduce the industry's gender gap), global engineering technologies company, Renishaw, hosted a “Women Empowering other Women” event on October 20 in Mexico. The event, in association with the British Consulate, included 120 students from universities such as Universidad de Monterrey, Tec de Monterrey, Universidad Regiomontana, Universidad Autònoma de Nuevo Leòn and Universidad Politècnica de Apodaca.

The event began with a speech from Renishaw's Regional Sales Manager, Zarife Hernandez, discussing her experience in the field and working at Renishaw, the different challenges she's faced and how she overcame them. She also explored the statistics of women working in Mexico and the importance of having successful women in STEM to inspire future generations.

The event featured a panel of six industry leaders — Norma Moreno, Supply Chain Manager at Industrial Automotive Components; Marta Cantabrana, Founder and Director of 3C Metrology; Betsabe Rocha, Secretary of Economy at Monterrey; Zarife Hernandez and Fátima Oyervides, Marketing Manager at Renishaw Mexico. The panel was moderated by Juliana Correa, Director of the Department for International Trade at the British Consulate in Mexico City, who asked each leader about their work experiences, their work-life balance and their recommendations for future industry leaders.

“The event was a great success, and the students were very eager to participate,” commented Fátima Oyervides. “They asked a lot of questions, which highlighted the need for these kinds of forums. We wanted to touch on some of the challenges women across the world are currently facing in their employment, such as the gender wage gap and the additional barriers for working mothers.”

She continued, “The event offered support and advice for those about to enter the industry and promoted the achievements of women in STEM,” continued Oyervides. “To help overcome these challenges, it's important to offer women the opportunity to work in an industry they're passionate about and hear from others excelling in their field. Coming together to share these experiences will help pave the way for a more diverse future.”

Blanca Mier, Marketing Subdirector at AER Insurance and Finance, facilitated an activity called Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan (WOOP), which gave the students the chance to reflect on what they want to achieve and how. Finally, at the end of the event, Renishaw gave the students a tour of its showroom and some of its popular products that enable manufacturers in Mexico and around the world to consistently produce high quality products.

To find out how Renishaw is promoting gender equality in the workplace, visit www.renishaw.com/en/equality-in-the-workplace.

For more information about Renishaw's STEM outreach programmes, visit www.renishaw.com/en/education-outreach.

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