ORGANISERS of Bradford Manufacturing Week have thrown the spotlight on the district’s “influential and inspiring female leaders” in a bid to attract more women to the sector.

Women make up 47 per cent of the overall UK job market, but the latest report by manufacturing industry body, the EEF, shows that females make up just 23 per cent of the manufacturing workforce.

Now Bradford Manufacturing Week has launched a campaign to highlight some of the successful women involved in the sector in a bid to inspire others.

As part of the week, which runs from October 8 to12, air management expert, Mansfield Pollard, will offer site tours, work experience days and talks to young people. The business breaks the industry mould when it comes to gender balance, with 60 per cent of their board made up of female directors.

Joanna Robinson, managing director, said: “As one of the few women in this industry, I believe that I have a responsibility to promote career opportunities for both sexes and in particular I hope that my example inspires other women to pursue careers in manufacturing.”

Female-led blind rivet manufacturer GESIPA is also opening its doors to Bradford’s young people.

Managing director Diana Scholefield, who joined the company in 1995 as a project engineer and worked her way through the ranks to become MD in 2014, is offering site visits and school talks. She said: “Being a woman in manufacturing and engineering can be challenging as it’s such a male dominated environment. I’ve had many hurdles to overcome over the years, in particular around proving myself to my peers.

But as more women join the sector, the gap is getting smaller and with female role models at the helm of a raft of successful manufacturing businesses, we have a responsibility to encourage more young people – and particularly young women - in.

Nick Garthwaite, President of Bradford Chamber and managing director of international chemicals and detergents manufacturer, Christeyns, said:“It is proven that a diverse workforce performs better and having a healthy gender balance is crucial for the manufacturing sector.”