October 13, 2026

On October 8, Forsyth Tech’s Strickland Rhoades Conference Center filled with women from across the region’s manufacturing community for the 2026 Women of Manufacturing Conference. The morning’s theme was transformation: how women are leading change on the shop floor, advancing their careers, and strengthening the communities they serve.

The event opened with breakfast, registration and networking, and the program ran from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thanks to sponsorship from Graham Personnel Services, attendance was free. That meant students, early-career workers and seasoned plant leaders could all be in the same room.

The featured keynote came from Shay Mustafa of Reynolds American, followed by a fireside chat and audience Q&A.

Attendees then split into breakout sessions, and before the close, the Manufacturing Connections Exchange gave everyone a facilitated “speed connections” round of networking. It turned a room full of strangers into a room full of contacts.

The conference closed with a call to action on moving women in manufacturing forward. That fits a bigger trend. As demand for skilled workers grows, attracting and retaining women is essential for the industry’s future, and the sector has historically had low female representation.

Forsyth Tech first hosted this conference in 2024 as part of Manufacturing Month. Each year it has grown, and it shows how much opportunity manufacturing offers women at every stage of their careers. Whether you’re a student weighing your options or a leader hiring for the next decade, events like this help build the pipeline.

Interested in manufacturing programs at Forsyth Tech? Check them out here!