Scholarship for women in manufacturing

Women in the manufacturing industry are set to get a career boost through a new scholarship initiative, sponsored jointly by APICS NSW and the NSW Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD).

The scholarship, valued at $7500, will provide the means for the winner to take part in the internationally recognised Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program. The program consists of five modules and has for many years been recognised as the international standard for individual assessment in the field of production and inventory management. This qualification is highly valued by many Australian and multinational organisations, whose staff have participated in the program, for the benefits it brings to their businesses.

In launching the new scholarship, APICS NSW Chapter President, Bill Thompson, said that the scholarship recognises the need to encourage the participation of women in the traditionally male dominated manufacturing industry. It should also help to enrich a skill pool that is increasingly threatened by an ageing workforce.

A recent EOWA (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency) report indicates that men comprise as much as 68% of the manufacturing workforce. Although the sector is undergoing significant reform and is benefiting from business initiatives such as flexibility and job redesign, it still lags behind the Australian business average in terms of employing women.

Since 1973, the CPIM program has educated more than 75,000 manufacturing professionals on essential terminology, concepts and strategies related to demand management, procurement and supplier planning, material requirements planning, capacity requirements planning, sales and operations planning, master scheduling, performance measurements, supplier relationships, quality control and continuous improvement.

Application forms can be downloaded from www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/wib (click on 'Women in Manufacturing Network') or contact Linda Henry at APICS NSW on (02) 9891 1411.