One hundred young women got the chance to visit Tenaris’s AlgomaTubes facility today in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, as part of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters’ Women in Manufacturing initiative.
Tenaris and Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters joined forces to organize plant tours and help the students understand what goes on behind the walls of an advanced manufacturing facility. The objective of the field trip is to make sure students can experience the manufacturing sector and are empowered to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or trades.
“It was exciting to open our doors today to inspire so many young women to pursue a career in manufacturing,” said Ricardo Prosperi, President of Tenaris Canada. “Diversity in our teams is critical to our future success, and visits like today provide greater context for discovering the many opportunities that Tenaris and the manufacturing industry holds for them.”
Engaging youth is a critical component of Women in Manufacturing, a Tenaris-sponsored initiative that aims to increase female representation in manufacturing by 100,000 in five years.
“Plant tours are the first step in beginning to bridge the gender gap in the industry. We need to pull back the curtain so that the next generation of workers can see the high-value opportunities open to them in the sector.” Dennis Darby, President and CEO of CME.
Students were able to view first-hand the hot rolling process at Canada’s only seamless steel pipe mill, as well as learn about the extensive testing equipment in the lab. They also learned from Tenaris Technicians about the Industry 4.0 process where a digital twin of the entire mill is created to allow real time analysis and process improvements. Finally, the visit to Tenaris ended with a peer discussion where Tenaris Canada’s HR Director, Angela Cruickshank introduced to the students to the variety of roles that exist in a modern manufacturing facility.
“I think for some students it was an eye-opening experience for them to see what goes on at such a large facility in their community, and how they could one day build their careers here, and with Tenaris,” said Cruickshank.
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