“It’s important to note that not only is manufacturing good for women, but women are also good for manufacturing.

The benefits to bringing more women into manufacturing are numerous, but here are two practical ones: First, as we all know, manufacturing has a significant skills gap.To fill it, we need to look at more than 50% of the population. Women must be recruited, in every role, to address our industry’s need.

Secondly, when there are more women in manufacturing companies and taking on leadership roles, we will see manufacturing companies grow and our industry thrive.Research tells us that when companies are more diverse and more women are at the leadership table, those companies are more profitable.”

Allison Grealis, President of Women in Manufacturing (Temboo 2019, para. 8)

Kettering University has been championing and supporting women in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business for decades. Now, with Kettering University’s affordable, flexible, customizable, 100% online M.S. in Operations Management, it is easier than ever to catapult your career in procurement, revenue, and operations in a multitude of industries.

Currently, 40% of learners in Kettering University’s M.S. in Operations Management degree program are women taking the opportunity to pursue higher education as a path towards greater responsibility and authority in the workplace.

According to a 2017 study sponsored by the Manufacturing Institute, APICS, and Deloitte, “women constitute one of the U.S. manufacturing largest pools of untapped talent. Women totaled about 47% of the U.S. labor force in 2016, but only 29% of the manufacturing workforce” (Deloitte 2017, para. 3). Since that study, the trend towards more women working in the manufacturing industry is beginning to increase.

“In changing times, and in a historically male-dominated industry, manufacturing has seen a steady rise in women playing key roles in the industry, shaping the next generation of manufacturing to be more gender diverse, innovative, and rewarding for those who pursue a career path in this compelling field” (FABTECH 2018, para 2.)

Industry reports consistently show that if women transition to new industries, further their education, and continue to hone their communication, critical analysis, and leadership skills, they can be on the path to more fulfilling and better-paid work. One field in which more women are gravitating towards is Operations Management—the organizational function accountable for managing the processes of creating, producing, and delivering goods and services.

Operations manager duties encompass planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling the resources required to produce a company’s goods and services. This management function demands a varied and sharpened skill-set to work successfully with people, equipment, technology, information, and other resources needed to produce goods and services.

Kettering University’s online operations management degree is designed to prepare students with content expertise, leadership skills, and workflow processes to ensure optimum efficiency, mainly when working with other business units.

Effective operational managers understand the impact of their decisions every day, whether strategic, tactical, or functional. They are thoughtful individuals whose contributions significantly affect process improvement, operational activities, and overall business performance.

Regardless of company size, or the products or services they provide, all operations managers must cultivate both technical and soft skills that allows them to work seamlessly with all other departments in supporting the company’s mission.

Unlike accountants who are primarily concerned with numbers or supply chain professionals focused on inventory and logistics, operations managers must have the technical knowledge, expertise, and soft skills to communicate effectively and efficiently with those working in all business units within a company.

Kettering University Online (KUO) understands the complex skill-set operations managers need, which is why we offer the following course combination. It is also notable to mention that soft skills, leadership, and teamwork concepts are weaved throughout all KUO courses and programs.

• Management Science – study a variety of quantitative techniques to facilitate the managerial decision-making process.
• Financial Management – examine various aspects and concepts regarding financial management within organizations focusing on market efficiency, the time value of money, capital budgeting and capital expenditures.
• Managing People and Organizations – analyze the importance of and best practices for leading and managing staff, emphasizing effective communication, change management, and lean thinking.
• Enterprise Information System Models – learn how to analyze and evaluate business functions, data requirements, sales order processes and ERP implementation.
• Marketing Management – gain a managerial perspective about how organizations understand and select target markets, create, and deliver customer value, and leverage social media.
• Operations Management – evaluate concepts of operational management, including organizational structure, product design and process, supply chain management theory, and quality management.
• Strategy Capstone – this final course synthesizes program learning. It leads you through how to perform industry and environmental analyses, implement strategic options to maximize organizational goals, and use best practices to create specific sets of criteria for evaluating business strategies.

Play a Larger Role

Employers are highly motivated to recruit and retain women because a diverse talent pool can bring new perspectives, fresh ideas, increased productivity, and company loyalty. Pursuing your operations management degree can help you play a more prominent andimpactful role in your organization.

For example, you can lead teams in various settings such as production, manufacturing, supply chain operations, or logistics. Whether you become a manager of operations, industrial production, or logistics, a graduate degree in operations management will give you the knowledge and skills to:

• Coordinate manufacturing elements such as layout, production methods, workflow and staff to maximize the efficiency of production-oriented business.
• Advise companies on how best to optimize efficiency across business units.
• Coordinate activities by directing the production, pricing, sales, and product or service distribution.
• Ensure efficiency and accuracy within an end-to-end supply chain.
• Solve problems with effective and efficient answers.
• Use various management tools and techniques across business units.
• Implement business innovations.
• Apply best practices to project management.
• Orchestrate a successful end-to-end supply chain.
• Incorporate different management styles for a wide variety of situations.
• Master the newest management technology and system-wide applications.
• Build a high-performing, diverse team.

Get the Support You Need

The value of an M.S. in Operations Management cannot be overstated. If you are ready to increase your salary, contribute to your organization in innovative ways, or completely change your career, connect with an enrollment advisor today and:

• Receive in-depth knowledge on the program and the admissions process.
• Benefit from having an individualized conversation to ensure that the program fits your academic and professional goals.
• Receive a recommendation on which of our certificates align with your graduate degree and why (Global Leadership, Healthcare Management, Modern Business Practices, and Supply Chain Management Levels I and II).
• Be advised and assisted with putting together a strong file for the Admissions Committee to review.
• Learn how you can combine your M.S. Operations Management with an MBA as a second degree by taking just four more courses and finish in two years.

We understand pursuing a master’s degree can be a big decision with many factors to consider. Our knowledgeable and supportive enrollment advisors are here to help you learn about our program offerings.

References:

Deloitte. (2017).Women in manufacturing: Stepping up to make an impact that matters. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/manufacturing/articles/women-in-manufacturing-industrial-products-and-services.html

Fabtech. (2018, October 3).FABTECH tracking the rising trend of women in manufacturing. https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/95012-fabtech-tracking-the-rising-trend-of-women-in-manufacturing

Temboo. (2019, March 7).20 women in manufacturing that are influencing the industry. https://blog.temboo.com/20-influential-women-in-manufacturing/