In this photo: Elena Rodriguez is doing what she does best…running her Swiss Machine.
The November issue of Modern Machine Shop included a wonderful article about the rising role of women in manufacturing, where the workforce has predominantly been male for many decades. Pioneer was thrilled to be included in this article and is proud to be recognized for creating an environment where diversity is embraced, and everyone is offered equal opportunity to be successful.
The article features interviews with Dana Kensmoe, a welder at Global Finishing Solutions; Elena Rodriguez, CNC Swiss Setup Operator here at Pioneer Service; and Aneesa Muthana, our President and Co-owner. Each of these women discusses how they got their start, some of the challenges they encountered, and highlights the facts that they are proud of what they have accomplished and love what they do.
All three featured women – Dana, Elena, and Aneesa – benefited from an early introduction to the shop floor. Although each of their paths and challenges were different, two shared ingredients for their success were confidence and persistence – they believed they belonged on the shop floor because they had plenty to offer, and they didn’t let adversity ever get in their way.
Pioneer Service has been encouraged to see more organizations open their production floor to women (as well as throughout their organizations). This diversity will only lead to stronger organizations and more successful companies. We look forward to hearing more great stories about the changes happening on the production floor and how an inclusive work environment is providing great opportunities for a wide variety of individuals.