PLANT TOUR IN NORTHERN ONTARIO ENCOURAGES YOUNG WOMEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MANUFACTURING CAREERS

Sault Ste. Marie, March 28, 2023 – Algoma Steel and Tenaris plants in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario opened their doors today to one hundred young female students as part of a Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) initiative to encourage more women to choose a career in the manufacturing sector.

Despite the many career paths available in manufacturing, the industry continues to face a gender gap, with women making up only 29 per cent of the manufacturing workforce. Open door tours help inspire young women and show them that they have a place in the sector.

The tours of Algoma Steel’s and Tenaris’ facilities gave students the opportunity to get to see the action behind the scenes of advanced manufacturing and learn more about the process of manufacturing right here in Ontario. Students also heard directly from manufacturing employees about their diverse experiences.

The objective of the tour was to make sure female students are empowered to pursue a career in manufacturing and STEM fields. Engaging youth is a critical component of CME’s Women in Manufacturing Initiative, that aims to increase female representation in manufacturing by 100,000 by 2030.

“Manufacturing is a diverse, exciting and rewarding career path, but we know that young women are not always aware of the opportunities available to them,” said Dennis Darby, President and CEO of CME. “Open door tours are a great way to showcase the industry and inspire the next generation of manufacturing leaders.”

“This is a great initiative to bring young professionals to our facility to witness manufacturing in action, see the equipment, processes and technologies used and see how our talented team brings this together at Tenaris,” said Angela Cruickshank, Human Resources Senior Director at Tenaris. “As the students saw today, we have a talented team of women at Tenaris across varied roles and there’s room for more. We encourage students to consider Tenaris in their future.”

“We welcome these young women to Algoma and were excited to give them a glimpse into the exciting careers that await them in steel. Whether in a skilled trade, finance, engineering, or quality control, there are no limits, only opportunities,” said Danielle Baker, Chief Human Resource Officer of Algoma Steel Inc.

“This was a unique opportunity for our young female students to gain a better understanding of manufacturing. As a Board, we seek opportunities which can spark diverse interests in students and introduce them to potential pathways to employment after graduation,” said Jennifer Sarlo, Algoma District School Board Chair. “Partners like Tenaris and Algoma Steel are critical in providing these opportunities, as they are able to introduce our students (and their families) to manufacturing and the skilled trades through innovative programs and outreach.”

CME encourages all manufacturers across Canada to consider participating in open door tours and to reach out to CME to learn more about this important initiative.

ABOUT CANADIAN MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS (CME)

From the first industrial boom in Canada, CME has advocated for and represented member interests. 150 years strong, CME has earned an extensive and effective track record of working for and with 2,500 leading companies nationwide. More than 85 per cent of CME’s members are SMEs and collectively account for an estimated 82 per cent of total manufacturing production and 90 per cent of Canada’s exports.

ABOUT ALGOMA STEEL INC.

Based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, Algoma is a fully integrated producer of hot and cold rolled steel products including sheet and plate. Driven by a purpose to build better lives and a greener future, Algoma is positioned to deliver responsive, customer-driven product solutions to applications in the automotive, construction, energy, defense, and manufacturing sectors. Algoma is on a transformation journey, modernizing its plate mill and adopting electric arc technology that builds on the strong principles of recycling and environmental stewardship to significantly lower carbon emissions. Today, Algoma is investing in its people and processes, working safely, as a team to become one of North America’s leading producers of green steel.

ABOUT TENARIS

Tenaris is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of steel pipe products and related services for the world’s energy industry and other industrial applications. Customers include most of the world’s leading oil and gas companies and Tenaris’ revenues amounted to US $11.8 billion in 2022. Employing around 25,000 people worldwide, Tenaris operates an integrated network of steel pipe manufacturing, research, finishing and service facilities with industrial operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa and a direct presence in most major oil and gas markets.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Haddas Lederman

Communications Manager, Ontario

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)

Haddas.Lederman@cme-mec.ca