Event Volunteers Tina Moak, with Innophos, and Meagan Kohls, with Alliance Safety Council, address students during the opening activity.
As the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) gears up for its third annual Women in Industry Forum this fall, something exciting is developing behind the scenes: a community of connected women working across industrial fields united by a shared mission to inspire the next generation of industry professionals.
The event was created to introduce female high school students to career opportunities in industrial manufacturing and help them see possibilities they may never have considered. While the Forum’s impact is evident through the students who attend, an equally meaningful outcome has developed among the women who bring the event to life.
The Women in Industry Forum was inspired by a similar event hosted by the Lake Industry Area Industry Alliance. After seeing the positive response from students, teachers and industry volunteers, GBRIA brought the concept to the Greater Baton Rouge region to connect young women with successful female leaders in industry.
Today, the event has grown into a collaborative effort involving women from across companies and sectors who come together to share their experiences, contribute ideas and create opportunities for students.
For the students attending the Forum, the day is filled with career exploration from the moment they arrive. They learn about different career pathways, explore what professionals do each day and gain insight into what employers look for when hiring.
The event has reached capacity each year, bringing together approximately 250 female students, 50 educators and 100 industry volunteers.
However, the Forum’s impact extends beyond the students in attendance. Behind the scenes, women from across industry are building relationships and strengthening a network of professionals who support one another and are passionate about sharing with the next generation.
For many women working in industrial fields, this opportunity to connect with peers across companies and sectors is valuable. The event provides a space for volunteers to share experiences, learn from each other and collaborate on a common mission.
Janile Parks, Director of Community and Government Relations at Formosa’s FG LA Complex, chairs the Women in Industry Forum committee and has witnessed the impact of bringing women together around this shared mission.
"What makes this event special is not just the experience students have during the Forum, but the relationships that are built among the women who come together to make it happen," Parks said. "Women from different companies and sectors are collaborating, sharing experiences and investing in the next generation of our workforce. In a time when meaningful connections can be harder to build, professional communities like the Women in Industry Forum create opportunities for people to come together around a purpose. The relationships formed through the committee strengthen not only the event but the broader industrial community."
The women involved are doing more than organizing a one-day program. They are building a network that strengthens connections within industry while showing young women what is possible.
By sharing their stories, opening doors and investing their time, they are helping shape the future of Louisiana’s industrial workforce one connection at a time.
For more information, visit gbria.org.
