Lessons from 3 Women Leaders in Automation

The manufacturing industry has evolved greatly over the decades into a tech-forward, rapidly accelerating sector focused on efficiency, increased productivity, and digitalization through the adoption of automation. With these changing times, the old notions of manual labor fit for a male-dominant workforce have given way to a modern and diverse labor force ripe with opportunity. The industry now offers immense possibilities for women, with many distinguished individuals having blazed the path, offering valuable lessons and resources for the next generation. 

Evolving out of Past Manufacturing Industry Stereotypes

Many jobs in manufacturing used to be dull, dirty, or dangerous — qualities not necessarily enticing to a wide audience and historically dominated by men. But times have truly changed with the rapid adoption of automation, and with it, so too, should the perception of manufacturing. “We always say, it’s not your father’s or grandfather’s manufacturing environment anymore,” says Suzy Teele, chief strategy officer at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute. Instead, many plants today are automated, allowing workers to use your “brains more than your muscles,” she shares. “The great thing about that is that it really then does open up working in manufacturing for anybody. You just don’t have to be a man to be in manufacturing. You can be a woman. You can be somebody with a physical limitation and still find a rewarding career in manufacturing.”

Opportunities in Automation

Career paths now stretch across many professions and include equipment management, engineering, sales, operations, product management, marketing, and much more. They’re also supported by fluid pathways that encourage continuous upskilling and offer multiple education entry points, from technical training and apprenticeships to two- and four-year degrees. Automation technologies like robotics, AI, machine vision, and motion control are transforming industries beyond manufacturing, too, like healthcare, life sciences, agriculture, and hospitality. 

If we can take a step back and look at the larger picture of the industry’s workforce, it’s clear to see that manufacturing is in the middle of a workforce transition, not a workforce decline. With a looming worker shortage and baby boomers retiring in droves over the next few years, the industry needs a wide and inclusive talent pool to work with the automation tools filling plant floors and production facilities across the country. While uncertainty around tariffs and supply chain resilience still bubbles under the surface, the industry continues to grow. Robot orders (a key signal of growth and prosperity for the industry reported on by A3 were up 6.6% in 2025 compared to 2024.

Yet the industry has much to do to tip the pendulum for women in the industry. According to the Census Bureau, women make up roughly 47% of the American workforce but only make up 30% of those working in manufacturing. Many women also report to have fallen into manufacturing careers, according to the 2025 Career Advancement in Manufacturing Report, instead of pursuing them outright.

“74% of women and 49% of men "fell into" manufacturing careers, highlighting a key difference in how genders enter the industry,” states the report. “Women are more likely to enter unintentionally, suggesting a need for greater awareness of manufacturing career paths among young women and more proactive recruitment efforts.”

This was true for Julia Astrid Riemenschneider, head of Project Excellence at SCIO Automation Group. “I started my professional career in the tourism industry,” she shares. “I worked as a travel agent for eight years until I joined a consulting company run by former managers of the world market leader for cabinets, RITTAL. Thanks to them I got access to the exciting world of industrial automation. Without their trust and empowerment, I would have never experienced that.” She’s grateful for this opportunity and encourages women starting out to search for these opportunities. I came to this industry unconventionally, too, with my film degree and past experience in parenting media. Yet once you land here, it’s easy to see the opportunity that awaits you. 

Working in the industry pays off monetarily, too. Women working in manufacturing make 16% more than the median for women in general, says the report. And with women earning over half of the degrees in the United States, they represent a key sector of highly-skilled workers.

Inclusive Teams Drive Innovation

Inclusivity in the workplace is more than virtuous, it's a solid business strategy. Building teams with diverse backgrounds and perspectives adds value in many ways. The U.S. Department of Commerce notes in its perspective on women in manufacturing: “The industry is seeing the inherent value of an integrated and inclusive workplace where a diversity of viewpoints and ideas are represented. Manufacturers have come to see that diversity boosts the bottom line, fosters a more dynamic and creative environment, and improves employee morale and retention.”

Women working in the industry have seen firsthand the essential contributions and talents their female colleagues bring to the table, in operations, communication, and creativity. “I think women bring great organizational skills,” says Jane Heffner, VP channel partner communications at Teradyne. “They bring great communication skills. They're very creative. And these are all skill sets that are totally necessary in this industry to really drive it forward.”

Riemenschneider finds merit in the unique outlook a female colleague can add to a project. “Women just naturally have a different perspective on technology and processes. The way we approach problems is simply different. Different perspectives add value to driving innovations. I'm excited for every woman who's joining the industry and bringing ideas to solve automation challenges.”

A study published in Science Daily confirms this sentiment, finding that “diverse teams are better equipped to tackle complex and multifaceted issues from multiple angles, using a broader pool of methods and considering a wider array of potential solutions.” It also credits heterogeneity for fostering an environment for pioneering developments. “Having a diverse team composition sparks unconventional ideas, ultimately driving disruptive innovation and breakthroughs in robotics.” 

Advice from Women Leaders in Automation

While opportunity awaits for women looking to enter or advance in the industry, there are a few strategies to foster a successful career path.

Engage with the Industry

It’s often said that simply applying to a job isn’t always enough to land the role. Instead, it often takes making crucial connections throughout your network to find your next opportunity. This is very true within the automation industry. Although filled with a vast array of start-ups and companies small and large, the community is tight knit and very active at industry events and through platforms like LinkedIn. The industry is also full of wonderful, receptive people, happy to help how they can. Heffner sees helping others succeed as some of her proudest accomplishments in her automation career, especially when she sees them grow and knows she had a hand in helping move them forward. When at a networking event, she recommends stepping up to meet new people, learning about their professional journey, and capitalizing on the moment by asking as many questions as you can. 

Find a Mentor

There’s huge value in the mentor-mentee relationship. Your mentor can act as a sounding board, offer insight on industry resources you may not know about, and share crucial lessons they’ve learned through their years of experience. Heffner has benefited from both being a mentor and mentee in her career. She affirms that mentorship doesn’t have to be through a formal program or agreement, a relief to anyone who may feel timid starting out. 

“I've had some incredible mentors,” she shares. “Unexpected people who have taken a chance on me. It wasn't necessarily in a formal mentoring environment, but I would encourage people to look around you, and look at the people that you respect, and look at the people who are willing to take an interest in you. And then spend time with them, ask them questions, ask them about how their career journey was, how they got to where they were, and use them to bounce ideas off.”

Utilize Automation Industry Resources

And finally, take advantage of all of the resources at your disposal from trusted industry groups and through company-sponsored programs. 

ARM Institute

Teele is very proud of what the ARM Institute offers job seekers. This non-profit representing close to 500 organizations shares their mission to grow manufacturing through the use of advanced automation technologies. Beyond offering funding to help members advance their automation technologies and improve workforce initiatives, the ARM Institute has created a robust resource in roboticscareer.org to help individuals connect the dots on their career pathway. What makes this site stand out from the rest, is that it offers personalized recommendations. 

“What we did with roboticscareer.org,” she explains, “It's both training programs and jobs that you can find. And what makes it different from just a regular job site is that we actually do this job matching… We look at the skills and competencies that someone says that they might have or it's in their resume, and we look at what the manufacturer's looking for, and we make personalized recommendations back to the manufacturer where ‘Here's potential people to hire.’ Same thing on the training side, we send people to particular training programs, whether it's A3's robot safety program, or whether it's a PhD program. Whatever makes the most sense. We've got close to 17 ,000 training programs listed in robotscareer.org and we average about 2,000 jobs a day.”

A3 Resources

A3 is full of resources for those looking to start or advance their career in automation. Here are just a few standouts to pursue:

• Getting Started with Automation: Explore our beginner’s guides to robotics, motion control & motors, machine vision, and industrial artificial intelligence.
• A3 NextGen: Bridge the gap between academia and automation. You can even get connected with a mentor through NextGen — you’ll find both Jane Heffner and Suzy Teele, featured in this article, as options!
• Workforce Development: Discover pathways for students, educators, and companies supporting learning and upskilling. 
• Career Center: View open job listings in one central location from our automation member companies.
• Designing Industrial AI Agents: Gain the skills to orchestrate advanced AI agents that learn, adapt, and collaborate like experts in real-world automation settings.
• Robot Safety Training: Attend safety training courses focused on risk assessment, mobile robotics, and collaborative robotics. 
• Empowerment Forum: Coming to Automate this year? Join us at the Empowerment Forum to join seasoned leaders and rising professionals to share experiences, exchange insights, build valuable connections and leadership skills, and drive progress in our industry.

Apprenticeships and Trainings

There are also plenty of options from robotic, automation, and manufacturing companies aimed at helping workers upskill and grow their career. Many companies, like Universal Robots and Locus Robotics, have their own online courses and training available. Other programs like Dürr Systems offers onsite training in its Germany headquarters for promising high school graduates. 

Check out our Guide to Automation Apprenticeship Trainings and Programs for Career Advancement to explore more opportunities to grow your career in automation.