Dec. 4, 2019—Women make up half of the total U.S. college-educated workforce, yet represent only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce and hold only about a quarter of the jobs in automotive manufacturing.
To connect talented women and men within the automotive and other tech-reliant industries, Ford Motor Co., EY and DENSO will host the Women of Inforum@CES event at the 2020 show to showcase and support the work of Inforum, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the careers of women and building talent initiatives at companies. The reception will be Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, 4-6 p.m. PST, at the Ford Exhibit in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.
"Women represent an important but underrepresented part of the automotive workforce and in STEM fields overall. We, along with our partners, are working to rectify this," said Terry Barclay, president and CEO of Inforum. "CES represents an excellent opportunity to tap into the talented women and men in these growing fields, and help them make the connections needed to advance and elevate their careers. This event will bring together corporate partners, our members and participants in our AutomotiveNEXT initiative, and others who are invested in building the best talent pipelines through workplaces that value diversity and inclusion (D&I)."
"For the past 150 years, Ford has built a legacy based on innovation and serving others. Hosting this CES event allows us to bring together both those pillars," said Kiersten Robinson, chief human resources officer at Ford Motor Company. "Ford is committed to diversity and cultivating inclusion so that each of us has an opportunity to learn, grow and thrive—making our teams and the entire automotive industry stronger and more innovative."
"EY is proud to be a co-host of this year's Women of Inforum@CES Networking Reception," said Randy Miller, EY Global Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility Leader and industry sector leader for D&I. "This event is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate achievements of women who have made significant contributions to the automotive sector while also bringing awareness of the continued importance diversity and inclusion plays for the future of the industry. Our data shows that companies with more gender diversity in the C-suite outperform their rivals, and yet women still remain underrepresented in the automotive sector and across STEM careers. The industry can and must do better, and events like this one highlight what is possible when individuals are given opportunities to realize their full potential."
"Supporting and advancing diversity and inclusion is core to DENSO as a company and crucial for our success," said Denise Carlson, vice president of DENSO's North American production Innovation Center and executive lead for D&I. "By bringing together unique perspectives and experiences, we're able to better champion the future of mobility. Hosting this event, alongside some of the biggest players in tech, automotive and financial services, allows us to connect talented women invested in STEM and help them move their careers, and ultimately our industry, forward."
Those interested in attending the Women of Inforum@CES event can RSVP by emailing [email protected]. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be provided.
