SOUTHFIELD — Lucrative jobs in STEM-related fields are projected to increase by 17 percent by 2024. However, just 18 percent of American computer-science college degrees go to women and only 14 percent of engineers in today’s workforce are female.
To connect talented businesswomen and men in automotive and other tech-reliant sectors, Denso, the Japanese auto supplier with its North American headquarters in Southfield, and Inforum, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the careers of women and building talent initiatives at companies, are partnering to host the “Women of Inforum@CES” event at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev. on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
“Denso remains committed to advancing diversity and inclusion within the automotive technology and mobility space,” said Kara Grasso, vice president of Denso International America Inc. “Gaving a diverse workforce enables greater innovative thinking, brings different perspectives to the decision-making process and accelerates the pace of R&D. As our industry evolves, the need for talented workers in STEM-related fields will continue to increase, and we’re thrilled to partner with Inforum to offer this opportunity for so many passionate, tech-focused professionals to connect at CES.”
Created in 1962 and originally known as the Women’s Economic Club, Inforum aims to help women advance in the workplace through education, networking, support and speaking opportunities. The 501(c)(3) educational and charitable nonprofit has over 25 affinity groups around Southeast and West Michigan where women can meet and build connections. At the event, corporate partners and members of Inforum and its AutomotiveNext Executive Committee, along with others who are invested in building the best talent pipelines and fostering workplace cultures that value diversity and inclusion, will be in attendance.
“We work tirelessly to elevate women’s careers and help create focused industry groups in growing and rewarding fields, such as automotive, technology, healthcare and manufacturing,” said Terry Barclay, president and CEO of Inforum. “Because of this, it’s a natural fit for us to be at CES, and we look forward to connecting with women and men from all over the world at one of the most highly anticipated conferences of the year.”
Those interested in attending the Women of Inforum@CES event can RSVP by emailing clhutton@inforummichigan.org. The event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 9 in DENSO’s booth, 4619, in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be provided. Denso will also be showcasing the future of mobility through advanced automotive technologies at CES Jan. 8-11.
Denso has 220 manufacturing and engineering centers in 35 countries and more than 170,000 employees. More at https://www.denso.com/global. In North America, Denso employs more than 24,000 engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across 31 sites in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the U.S. alone, Denso employs more than 17,000 people across 11 states and 25 sites, generating $10.9 billion in consolidated sales. For more information, go to https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.
More about Inforum at www.InforumMichigan.org.