Rowan Precision Backs Women With Metal as Manufacturing Builds its Future Workforce

Birmingham precision engineering specialist Rowan Precision is supporting the 2026 Women With Metal Conference as manufacturers across the UK place growing emphasis on attracting, developing and retaining the people who will shape the sector’s future.

Taking place at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on 17 September, Women With Metal brings together women and allies from across the metals and manufacturing industries, creating a forum for professional development, industry knowledge and stronger connections across the sector. Apprentice, Khadija Zaman will be attending the event to represent Rowan Precision.

For Rowan Precision, supporting the event reflects a wider commitment to developing manufacturing careers and creating opportunities for people to progress within engineering.

The company produces high-precision machined components for sectors including aerospace, defence and medical, using advanced CNC sliding-head, fixed-head and multi-axis machining technology. Alongside continued investment in production capability, Rowan has increasingly focused on developing the skills and experience required to support the next generation of advanced manufacturing.

Karen Harrison-Thomas, Head of Operations at Rowan Precision, has experienced that career journey first-hand. Having spent many years with the company, including time as Quality Manager, she now holds responsibility across operations while continuing to oversee the business’s ISO audits and implementation.

“Manufacturing can offer an incredibly varied career and there are so many routes through the industry,” said Karen. “My own career has given me the opportunity to work across quality, operations and engineering, and to build experience within automotive, aerospace and medical manufacturing.

“Events such as Women With Metal are important because they bring people together and give women throughout the industry the opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another and build relationships. That visibility matters, particularly for younger women who are considering where an engineering career could take them.”

Women With Metal was launched in 2023 and has grown into an established annual gathering for women working across metals and manufacturing. Its 2026 programme brings together speakers covering leadership, workplace culture, wellbeing and the experiences of women throughout industry.

The event arrives as manufacturers continue to focus on the long-term skills required to support increasingly sophisticated production environments. Automation, CNC technology, digital quality systems and advanced metrology are changing the skills profile of modern engineering businesses and creating careers spanning production, programming, quality, operations, commercial roles and leadership.

Karen believes showcasing that breadth of opportunity has an important role in encouraging more women to build long-term careers within the sector.

“Engineering businesses benefit from bringing together people with different experiences, ideas and skills,” she added. “We want young women looking at manufacturing to see the opportunities available to them, from the shop floor and quality department through to operational and senior leadership positions.

“Supporting Women With Metal gives Rowan Precision an opportunity to contribute to that conversation and to celebrate the women already building successful careers throughout our industry. The people entering engineering today will become the engineers, managers and manufacturing leaders shaping British industry in the years ahead.”

For Rowan Precision, supporting the conference forms part of a broader focus on people alongside its continued investment in advanced manufacturing capability.

As technology continues to transform the factory floor, the strength of the sector will increasingly depend on the depth and diversity of the talent choosing to build a career within it.