08-03-2025
100-plus QC junior-high girls participate in Women in Manufacturing Summit, Moline
More than 100 junior high girls from across the Quad Cities on Friday visited Black Hawk College in Moline for the third annual Women in Manufacturing Summit.
'It's giving them an opportunity to see that manufacturing is for not just men but also for women,' said Jeremy Thomas, Black Hawk College's president. 'They can thrive in it.'
The program involved virtual welding and taking part in a supply chain management exercise, and allowed some of the girls learned about the manufacturing industry for the first time.
'I'm really enjoying how we are learning a lot of different things that I never knew before, and how they are showing us a lot of machines that are really cool,' said Ruby Killian, a Women in Manufacturing Summit participant.
For Jill Castree, a senior manager of supply chain management, the Women in Manufacturing Summit hits close to home.
'I hope [the girls] see that people like them can be in the manufacturing environment,' Castree said. 'I think women offer a unique perspective in manufacturing, and we would love to see more of them in manufacturing. I certainly didn't have an opportunity like this growing up.'
The goal of the program was to inspire young girls to consider pursuing a career in a male-dominated industry.
'That means a lot because we need a bunch of women to do manufacturing so we can have more creative stuff in the world,' said Leah Barrigah, a Women in Manufacturing Summit participant. 'Women can do a whole bunch of stuff, do engineering, and all that kind of stuff.'
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