About the WiMEF
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Our Story
The Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF), a 501(c)(3) organization, was created in 2016 by the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM) to design and develop training and educational programs that support the advancement and development of women at all levels of their manufacturing careers.
The Leadership Institute for Women in STEM & Manufacturing (formerly Leadership Lab), a partnership with Case Western Reserve University, was the first program developed and funded by WiMEF. The only program of its kind, it uniquely supports the advancement of executive women in manufacturing by providing women with powerful tools to propel their careers forward and remain competitive in male-dominated industries. The comprehensive curriculum is presented by world-class instructors on topics ranging from negotiation, to effective communication, to strategic management. The course also includes individualized executive coaching, 360-degree assessments and peer coaching, and an Emotional Social Competency Inventory (ESCI) assessment. The program is structured as three multi-day sessions that take place over the course of three months each spring. More than 115 women have graduated this program since 2017.
Launched in 2018 to support the unique professional development needs of new and aspiring managers, the Management Development Program (MDP) provides the skills new managers need to rise as organizational leaders. The MDP builds skills in fundamentals of leadership and management, human resources, diversity in the workplace, objective setting and delegation, effective business communications, finance, negotiation, and networking. The program includes two weeklong sessions featuring daily 90-minute virtual workshops facilitated by industry experts. The program also includes a facilitated DISC assessment with opportunities for peer learning and engagement. Now, with two cohorts offered each year, MDP has graduated over 100 women since 2016.
Empowering Women in Production (EWIP) is WiMEF's newest program. With more than 400 participants since the program launched in 2021, EWiP supports the professional development of shop-floor employees to make their next promotion more likely and happen more quickly. EWIP participants build core professional skills for success in manufacturing environments such as: problem-solving, coping skills, communication skills, efficiency and time management, team mentality, individual responsibility, leadership, customer service and safety orientation. The program takes place over 20 weeks at a participant's own pace through on-demand, online learning using recorded content from subject matter experts. EWiP participants also receive one-on-one career coaching from professional coaches and an individualized skills assessment. Due to high demand, the program is now being offered three times each year with class limits of 90 partipants.
To provide year-round easy access to learning and inspiration, WiMEF launched the Virtual Learning Series (VLS) in 2016 to deliver live and on-demand learning on a variety of professional development and industry topics. The one-hour webinars are presented monthly featuring diverse subject matter experts on topics relevant to women leaders in their professional and personal lives. Webinars are recorded and saved in the Virtual Learning Library with unlimited availability for WiM members to view on their own time or as training / learning opportunities in the workplace. To date, more than 9,000 participants have engaged in these learning sessions.