IMTMA - FEdream Women Empowerment Initiative Inaugurated

Bengaluru, 21 February 2022: Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) inaugurated the IMTMA-FEdream Women Empowerment Initiative at its Technology Centre in Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru.

Twenty-four women candidates selected as part of the “women exclusive initiative” will undergo a comprehensive training on “Design and Manufacturing of Special Purpose Machine”. The eight weeks course conducted at IMTMA Design Institute from 21 February to 21 April 2022 aims to empower women engineers by imparting requisite industry skill-sets.

Distinguished entrepreneurs and technocrats presided over the inaugural ceremony. Mr. Rajendra Rajamane, Vice President, IMTMA, Mr. P.J. Mohanram, Principal Adviser, IMTMA, Ms. Madhavi Chandrashekhar, Chairperson “UDAAN” and Executive Director - Business Development, Ace Designers, Ms. Nisha Lobo, Director, Alex Machine Tools, Ms. Rachel Pontes, Founder-Director, FEdream, and Mr. Satish Kumar, Senior Adviser, IMTMA, addressed the students.

In her address, Ms. Pontes said that the course was designed to make engineers an asset to any company. Ms. Chandrashekhar, said that although only around 5% women may be employed as engineers in the machine tool industry, they however have a better work-life balance. Mr. Rajamane talked about shopfloor experiences and changes in the machine tool and manufacturing industries including the onset of automation and Industry 4.0. He urged the students, once they have gained enough experience to come back and help other young women aspirants.

Throwing more light, Ms. Lobo exclaimed that women have in the past broken glass ceilings and the students who are undergoing this training programme can emulate it. Mr. Kumar in delivering the vote of thanks and urged participants to convert the seeds sown by the course into a mission.