Women in Manufacturing

A long-time developer in Licking County, recently reflecting on the history of industrial development in Licking County, talked about one of the marketing promotions some 40+ years ago.  He sent Kewpie dolls to industrial companies with a memorable message about being able to attract women to manufacturing in Licking County.

The idea, as he put it, was to meet a need.  The women needed jobs.  He was sure some manufacturer needed employees.

It worked.

Dow Chemical located their thin film plant here.  It's still here.

That story was fresh in my mind when I saw this op-ed yesterday from the Cleveland Plain Dealer titled Tap Women for Unfilled Manufacturing Jobs.  The piece makes the case that the solution to manufacturers' reported difficulty filling manufacturing jobs in Northern Ohio is found in recruiting a female workforce.

Sounds familiar.