CMG Technologies MD calls for more women to join the engineering sector
June 25, 2024
Rachel Garrett, Managing Director of CMG Technologies, based in Woodbridge, UK, has issued a call for more women to join the engineering sector. On International Women in Engineering Day, June 23, she was joined in the call by nine other women in her team, who today account for approximately 30% of CMG’s workforce.
“I couldn’t think of a more exciting industry to work in than engineering. Behind the exciting tools, big machines, sparks and sounds are fascinating people with a genuine passion for what they do,” Garrett stated. *“*But with that in mind, it feels a real shame that just 29% of people working in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) sector are women. In engineering on its own, I’d say the figure is probably even lower.”
Garrett has been in the industry for nearly twenty years, starting in factory roles at CMG (then Egide UK) and working through the ranks before the completion of a management buyout in 2013.
“I’m pleased to say that not once have I ever struggled as a woman in the industry. People are so supportive,” she added. “Everyone in the industry works for the same goal – crafting new creations or finding solutions to problems through the power of technology. It’s a collaborative workforce of people who all want to see each other achieve. I would love to see more women join it, especially young people.”
CMG is a leading Metal Injection Moulding producer, as well as offering metal Additive Manufacturing and debinding & sintering surfaces. The company was acquired by the world’s largest MIM producer, Indo-MIM, in 2023.
The theme for this year’s International Women in Engineering Day is #EnhancedByEngineering, and Garrett is keen to inspire more young people through future school visits this year to spread the message. “The most amazing thing about engineering is how it has the ability to change the world. The things you create can make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Garrett added. “I would hate to think of all the talented people missing out because they don’t feel they’d be welcomed.
“The next woman to put in an application for a job could go on to become an internationally-revered, prize-winning engineer – that’s how limitless the opportunities are.”
As an employer, CMG has also garnered attention for initiatives such as the adoption of a four-day week in 2015.
“We’ve got such a great work dynamic here at CMG,” she said. “It’s something I’m really proud of and it perfectly captures what the industry is all about.”
