Adrienne Temple - CDMP, PCM, CDMS

I think a lot of it has to do with the people that I've surrounded myself with. I mean, I'm fully a capable person, and I know that, but I think everybody needs to find a community that they can really lean on. There have been so many people that I've surrounded myself with in my professional career who have helped me. I've learned from them, they've supported me when I needed them. You should always surround yourself with the types of people that are going to support you and help you grow. I think that ultimately is the secret to success. You can be a highly capable person and be an all-star, but you need to surround yourself with the right types of people. Those people that I've worked with and had relationships with and been mentored by - I think all of that becomes that sort of perfect recipe for a success strategy, in my opinion.

The best career advice I ever received actually came from my dad, because he worked in manufacturing as well. He always impressed upon me that every experience, everything that you could possibly learn is really, truly another tool in your toolbox. Nobody can take that from you. So whether you go through any types of training, or professional development, or just those lessons learned on the shop floor, every single thing is a tool in your toolbox. It prepares you for some future situation, and you'll call that back to memory and use that somewhere else. In the beginning, I probably would have been like, yeah, sure, but I'll be honest with you, there's so many times that I look back, and I'm like, yeah, from that experience, I can pull that knowledge and share that with somebody, or apply that to something that I'm facing right now. It is just so very true, and I've found it time and time again to ring true. Even now that I'm helping in a nonprofit sector, I still am able to pull from a lot of those experiences and learnings and pull them out of my toolbox and apply them. Making sure that you collect those tools for your toolbox - you're gonna need them in the future.

To women entering the manufacturing industry today, I think you should recognize your strengths and be aware of them, and have confidence in those things that you're capable of doing. Start building your network because you're going to require having a support system - people that respect you and know that you're capable to help you elevate to that next level. Start from a position of strength and confidence, because so many times we question ourselves and spend so much time wondering what's our value and if we're capable of doing this. The thing is, we all bring strength to the table. We need to be more confident in what we're capable of, and we need to start building those bridges to people of influence inside our facilities and in our industry at large. If you start that strategically from the beginning, it really does set you up for success. Don't be intimidated by the situation - lean into what you're already naturally good at and be confident in that. When you look at the manufacturing industry at large, there are so many different types of people that work in manufacturing. There's not one model for the perfect manufacturing person. Understand that we're all unique in what we bring to the table, what we're capable of, and what our goals are. It's an industry for anybody, but you have to go in there being sure of yourself and don't question that. Build that bridge to the right people and start building relationships early. Learn as much as you possibly can.

Key challenges in the field include navigating a traditionally male-dominated manufacturing culture and encouraging women to confidently self-advocate and promote their contributions. At the same time, there are strong opportunities to expand access to training and resources for small manufacturers while continuing to grow women’s leadership programs and professional networks across the industry.

Community and mentorship, lifelong learning, positivity, and service—including a strong commitment to supporting veterans—are the values that guide both my professional and personal life.