EET&D – When was the Women's Resource Network formed and why did the company establish the group?

Amber Deighton – We formed Oatey's Women's Network in 2021. The group was crated to support women's professional, personal and leadership development. We have a diverse group of associates both in manufacturing and distribution, and the resource network helps ensure that each group's needs are met across the country and internationally.

Our industry is largely male-dominated and male-focused, so we formed the network to reinforce the idea that women can successfully climb the ladder and have their voices heard. We start by cultivating professional development internally, but the ultimate goal is for that message to reach women across the country to see what opportunities are available to them in our industry.

EET&D – What is the network's mission and goals?

AD – Our mission is focused on the professional, personal and leadership development of all women at all career levels. The goal is to provide a platform for engagement and development throughout the company by facilitating professional development, recruitment, retention and visibility for women, thereby advancing corporate diversity, equity and inclusion objectives.

Some of our objectives include assisting in driving organizational initiatives that maximize the engagement and development of Oatey Women’s Resource Group associates as well as contributing to the growth and development of local communities with a particular focus on educating young women and girls, exposing them to career opportunities in manufacturing.

EET&D – What types of programs does the network offer or plan to offer in the future?

AD – Key programs are the community engagement events, like our recent STEM Career Education Workshop with the Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts. The major project on our radar next year is to expand the Girl Scout program nationally.

Cleveland was our pilot program to understand the curriculum and eventually roll it out at our manufacturing and distribution locations across the country. We will identify two additional sites, either manufacturing or distribution, and launch the STEM Career Education Workshop there.

The Women's Resource Network also hosts general body meetings where we discuss important topics with the women within our organization, such as professional and personal growth. We'll often cover important matters of the day; for example, returning to work during the COVID pandemic.

In December 2021, we hosted a wellness event with some meditative aspects to focus on stress management self-care and mindfulness during the holiday season.

EET&D – Can you provide some details on the STEM Career Education Workshop? How did it go?

AD – Oatey developed the event as part of the Girl Scouts' BADGE BOSS program, which connects local professionals with Girl Scouts to share their expertise, advice and passion while enabling them to earn a relevant Girl Scout badge. Through our program, the Girl Scouts gained hands-on exposure to careers across manufacturing while also exploring their interests and passions.

A key component of the two-hour workshop included a personal-reflection exercise to help Scouts identify how their interests connect to real-world careers. At the beginning of the night, we had the Scouts identify their passions and what they really enjoy, whether about school, family or personal life. From there, we made a direct correlation to a particular career or role in manufacturing. For example, some loved math and science, so we made a connection with accounting or engineering.

The program also included a panel discussion in which associates from our organization explained their roles. Additionally, we provided a tour of the Oatey University training facility with hands-on demonstrations and an interactive tower-building team competition, using Oatey Plumber's Putty and spaghetti. All Girl Scouts who completed the workshop qualified for their STEM Career Exploration Girl Scout badge.

EET&D – Is this the first time you worked with the Girl Scouts?

AD – Yes. We hope to partner with Girl Scout organizations across the country.

EET&D – Why did you choose to partner with the Girl Scouts?

AD – We wanted to collaborate with an organization that had a presence nationwide. After conducting research, it seemed that there was a great interest in supporting young girls through career exploration, but also opening their eyes to see what opportunities are available in the world of manufacturing. The Girl Scouts were a great fit because they already had the curriculum prepared to earn a badge for career exploration.

It was a privilege to host this group of energetic Girl Scouts and share more with them about the many career paths available in STEM and manufacturing. Our Women's Resource Network is passionate about supporting girls and women in our communities, and we are thrilled to establish this partnership with the Girl Scouts.
 

EET&D – Do you have any success stories of women that benefited from the network's efforts?

AD – The Women's Resource Network is a fairly new initiative, so we hope to share some strong testimonials from women in the future. However, we did receive great feedback from parents who organically reached out to us and shared how impactful the Girl Scout Workshop activities were.

EET&D – Do you have any measurable goals for the next five or ten years?

AD – Overall, our goal in 2022 is to host quarterly Women's Resource events for the entire company. In terms of the Girl Scouts Program, our goal is to continue adding new sites to utilize the program.

We have manufacturing facilities across the country and globally. That'll be our major project next year. We hope that the initiative will continue to compound, incorporating more sites to utilize the program and customize it to their communities.

EET&D – Do you see any trends emerging that will attract more STEM students to the utility industry?

AD – The rise of social media influencers. The plumbing social media community is very active, and I have seen more and more female social media influencers promoting the trades.

Social media is one of the best ways to reach and influence newer generations. There is an educational value to consider, with industry influencers able to communicate more easily with a wide audience. Young people are also more exposed via social media to the day-to-day of a particular profession, such as skilled trades, manufacturing, utilities, etc. This can, in turn, encourage them to explore these types of careers further.

Another trend is the number of schools that are including the STEM curriculum and it becoming part of state standards. It creates a positive pipeline and provides exposure to those types of opportunities for all students, particularly girls who are unaware that they can work in an industry that is perceived as male-focused.