United States. The Manufacturing Institute announced the 130 winners of the 2025 Women MAKE Awards, a recognition of female excellence and leadership in the manufacturing industry.
The awardees, selected from thousands of nominations, represent all levels of the industry, from the factory floor to senior management. The award ceremony will be held on April 24, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
The award comes at a critical time for manufacturing, which faces more than 400,000 vacancies and a projected 3.8 million positions to be filled in the next decade. Even though women make up half of the U.S. workforce, they still make up less than one-third of the industry.
"It's never been more crucial to attract and retain talent in manufacturing," said Susan Elkington, senior vice president of Electric Vehicle Supply at Toyota. "This year's honorees are breaking barriers and proving that there are no limits to what they can achieve in our industry."
The Women MAKE Awards are part of the Women MAKE America initiative, which seeks to close the talent gap in manufacturing and foster role models to inspire more women to join the industry. Since its inception, the recognition has honored nearly 1,700 women for their impact on their businesses and communities.
"More and more women are finding opportunities and breaking barriers in manufacturing," said Carolyn Lee, president of the Manufacturing Institute. "By highlighting its success, we show that the industry is a space for growth and impact."
The full list of laureates and details about the ceremony are available on the official website.
