March 28, 2025 Helping U.S. Manufacturing Thrive Through Automation

Volume 28 | Issue 1

Leading the way to a future where people and robots work together.

When Suzy Teele (Chief Strategy Officer) and Lisa Masciantonio (Chief Workforce Officer) joined the ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute, a fledgling Manufacturing USA Institute, in early 2017 as the 2nd and 3rd employees, respectively, it was because they believed in the mission – to secure U.S. global leadership in advanced manufacturing by connecting people, ideas, and technology. And 8 years later, they remain even more passionate about this goal.

The ARM Institute is a public-private partnership focused on advancing the use of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in manufacturing to strengthen U.S. industrial competitiveness. Established in 2017 through the Manufacturing USA network and supported by the Department of Defense (DoD), the ARM Institute brings together industry leaders, robotics and AI providers, academic institutions, Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), manufacturing trade associations, and government agencies to drive innovation in robotics and workforce development. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the ARM Institute collaborates with this comprehensive ecosystem to bridge the gap between research and real-world industrial applications, ensuring that robotics technology is accessible and beneficial across the sector. Its key goals include:

• accelerating the adoption of robotics and automation in manufacturing
• developing education and training programs to upskill the workforce for advanced manufacturing jobs
• enhancing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by improving productivity and efficiency.

International Women’s Day is a historic celebration of resilience, progress, and strives for equality. It’s a special day to honor the contributions and achievements of women around the country. It is also a time to envision a strong future for the great women in all industries. For Suzy and Lisa, this day is about amplifying these women’s voices, breaking down barriers, and ensuring a future where every woman has an opportunity to thrive.

Helping women to thrive in manufacturing is important to Suzy and Lisa, who have long been advocates for these roles, especially as advanced manufacturing technologies like robotics and AI reduce the importance of physical strength with increased emphasis on problem solving, technical, communication and leadership skills. Manufacturing, robotics and AI are not traditional roles for women, but there is no reason why they can’t become traditional roles and rewarding careers, as robotics and AI reduce or eliminate dull, dirty and dangerous jobs of the past. Manufacturing is evolving with automation, robotics, and advanced technologies, creating exciting opportunities for women in STEM-related fields. Women in manufacturing gain technical skills and problem-solving abilities that are valuable across industries. An Industry Today article from July 30, 2024 “The Future of Manufacturing Depends on Women” shows key elements to how women are key to revitalizing manufacturing.

The U.S. is investing significantly to reshore manufacturing and is incentivizing leaders to build manufacturing facilities in the U.S. This is leading to tremendous economic opportunities and career growth for the workforce. These exciting jobs often provide competitive wages and benefits, making them a solid career choice. Many roles do not require a four-year degree, allowing for quicker entry into a stable career. And there are numerous opportunities for advancement, from entry-level roles to leadership positions.

Over the past 8 years, Suzy and Lisa have seen the number of women working in manufacturing increase, although the total percentage is still smaller than the number of women in the U.S. workforce overall, at around 30% in comparison to 47% overall, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Much growth has come in both operational roles as well as technology roles, as more women consider STEM careers. At the ARM Institute, over 50% of the staff are women and they fill roles in all areas of the organization – from technical, to workforce development, marketing and finance. The leadership team – of which Suzy and Lisa are part of – is 50% women.

They regularly encourage women to consider manufacturing careers as they travel the country presenting at conference and through audio and video podcasts. A great resource for women looking to enter or grow in the manufacturing industry—especially in robotics and automation— is RoboticsCareer.org. This national resource, started as an industry-informed vision developed by Lisa and Suzy several years ago at the ARM Institute, helps individuals:

• find the right training programs to build skills and knowledge in robotics and advanced manufacturing
• explore job opportunities that align with career goals and interests
• create a user profile to showcase skills and experience, making it easier for employers to find and connect with interested candidates.

By leveraging RoboticsCareer.org, women can understand the key competencies needed for robotics in manufacturing, access personalized career pathways, training resources, and networking opportunities, helping to break barriers and advance in the industry. Over 16,000 training programs – from micro-credentials to Ph.D. degrees – are listed on the site that can be searched in a variety of ways. Some of these programs have passed an ARM-led audit and are officially “Endorsed” as offering best practice training solutions. This resource also provides a unique SkillsMatch™ capability that matches job seekers with employers based upon the skills in a user’s profile.

Looking back, Suzy and Lisa realize that they have come full circle, in a way, in their careers. They both grew up in Pittsburgh when manufacturing was a critical industry during their childhood but then lived through its devastating reduction in the 1980s, when factory unemployment hovered around 25 percent. Now the Pittsburgh region is committed to advanced manufacturing and robotics and AI are a major growth industry because of the influence of regional resources like the ARM Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, the Robotics Factory, and over 100 robotics and AI companies. By witnessing firsthand how manufacturing lifts communities and commerce, they are playing a critical role to ensure that it continues to do so, not only in Pittsburgh, but throughout the United States.

Their advice to women looking to enter the manufacturing sector is that it can be both rewarding and transformative. Women can break barriers so advocate for yourself and explore the many opportunities throughout the manufacturing industry, where over 800,000 manufacturing jobs are open in the U.S. today. They encourage women to be courageous and confident that they can gain the skills to preserver and succeed in these exciting careers. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, there has never been a better time to consider a career in the exciting and ever-growing manufacturing sector.

Suzy Teele is the Chief Strategy Officer for the ARM Institute, the nation’s leading manufacturing innovation institute for robotics and artificial intelligence. In this role, Suzy drives the ARM Institute’s overall strategy related to new programs, outreach efforts, stakeholder strategy, and partnership activities.

Suzy Teele helped launch the ARM Institute and has been instrumental in growing its consortium of over 400 organizations committed to strengthening U.S. manufacturing through innovations in advanced manufacturing technology, particularly robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), and preparing the workforce to operate these technologies. Working across industry, government, and academia, the ARM Institute fosters collaboration between those who can create & maintain robotics with those who can leverage it for maximum economic impact.

Suzy has over thirty years of experience in technology-based business strategy, product commercialization, customer acquisition and retention, marketing, sales, and business development. Suzy was an executive at several international software companies, driving strategic revenue growth in roles that included General Manager, COO and CMO. Prior to joining the ARM Institute, she was an executive consultant and advisor to venture-backed, early-stage technology companies. She has mentored hundreds of technology companies on profitable growth strategies and product commercialization.

A graduate of Indiana University of PA (IUP), Suzy has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni and has been inducted into the IUP Business Hall of Fame. She is also a board member of the IUP Research Institute. Other accolades include a Greater Pittsburgh Athena Award finalist and Businesswomen First Award. Suzy helped to start the Pittsburgh Chapter of WELD (Women for Economic and Leadership Development) and has coached many women-owned businesses.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzyteele/www.arminstitute.org

Lisa Masciantonio is the Chief Workforce Officer for the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute. She joined the ARM Institute in May 2017 as the Director of Membership and Outreach. She moved to the position of Chief Workforce Officer in 2019 and she is responsible for driving the Education & Workforce Development vision for ARM in conjunction with the ARM membership, the federal and state government partners, and other expert stakeholders.

Lisa brings with her over 25 years of experience as a performance- driven leader with notable success in cultivating and executing business strategies and formulating long-term strategic client relationships. She has proven success in developing business solutions, commercialization of products, technology transfer, and technological initiatives that have supported organizational growth, improved staff productivity, and increased value to many communities of practice. Critical to her success is the ability to increase awareness and drive thought leadership position by designing and executing innovative programs as well as developing and launching new, value-add offerings for ongoing competitiveness. Lisa received a Bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University and 2 Master’s degrees from Carnegie Mellon University.

In 2021, Lisa was recognized as one of 20 world-wide Exceptional Women in Robotics and Automation by SME. In 2022, she was recognized by the Pittsburgh Business Times as a Women of Influence and was also part of the inaugural Technical.ly Pittsburgh RealLIST Connectors list, which recognizes the top 100 influential leaders in Pittsburgh tech.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-masciantonio-88ab246

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