ALFED, the Aluminium Federation are proud to be an association partner of the 2nd edition of the inaugural Women with Metal Conference, taking place on Tuesday 29th October 2024.
After the outstanding success of last year’s event, the conference, hosted by Founder and Managing Director of Professional Polishing Services’ Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, is set to return to Birmingham, but at a bigger and better venue, The International Convention Centre during the heart of Advanced Engineering Week.
It’s no secret that the metals industry is very male dominated. But there are also a lot of strong-minded, intelligent women too. That’s why the Women with Metal Conference is such an inspiring initiative, and something that Kirsty deserves to be applauded for starting; providing a dedicated space for women to come together, network and chat about the opportunities and challenges for women in the sector. Last year’s conference saw inspirational speakers such as Steph Snade, Rachel Eade MBE from the UK Metals Council, Liz Burley from Burley Law, Morag Hale from Amari Metals, and many more take the stage and highlight various factors that impact women in the workplace. Topics included wellbeing and menopause in the workplace, how to protect your income in the event of sickness, ways to improve leadership and identity skills, a panel discussion surrounding the issue of unconscious bias in the workplace, and how to craft your own brand and align with a personal identity.
Speaking on the partnership, ALFED CEO, Nadine Bloxsome, commented: “Following such a positive response from all delegates following the first Women with Metal conference, ALFED is pleased to be supporting the 2024 event, which presents a continuation of sharing development with other women and builds on the important topics and issues for nearly 50% of the metals industry workforce today.
By fostering career and continuous professional development, and offering invaluable networking opportunities, this conference stands as a beacon for women in the metal industries.
It champions growth, amplifies voices, and paves the way for a more inclusive and thriving professional landscape. Investing in the advancement of women within this sector isn’t just a commitment to diversity; it’s an investment in innovation, excellence, and the future of our industry”.
Founder of Women with Metal, Kirsty Davies-Chinnock also commented: “The Women with Metal 2023 Conference was really well received and the feedback around from those who attended has been phenomenal. Following on from this we have created Women with Metal as a Limited Company and the 2024 conference is going to be much larger and held at The International Convention Centre in Birmingham during Advanced Engineering Week at the NEC. We are looking to have 300 delegates, both men and women, who are looking to work together to Fabricate the Future within the metal industry as equitable, sustainable and future proof. We will have speaker presentations on topics that give real return on investment to the delegates as well as panel discussions examining some of the issues faced today. There will be time dedicated to networking so the attendees can forge valuable relationships across the sectors. Having ALFED as an association partner is incredibly important to Women with Metal when we look at the advances that aluminium is currently making across the metal sector and the industries that can continue to innovate in partnership with aluminium. That’s what I want to be able to do with this partnership with ALFED; enable women and allies within the aluminium sector to innovate and forge ahead”.
Interested in helping shape the future of the metals industry by coming along to this year’s show? Tickets are on sale now! Last year’s event SOLD OUT, so we recommend booking quickly to avoid disappointment! Click here to book your place!
For more information about the Women with Metal Conference, please visit www.womenwithmetal.com.
