Manufacturing

Women in Manufacturing: A Defining Opportunity in Mexico’s Nearshoring Moment

Nearshoring has put Mexico squarely at the center of the global manufacturing conversation. Most of the discussion focuses on the usual drivers, such as cost, proximity, and trade alignment. But spend a little time on the ground, and a different story starts to emerge. One of the most meaningful shifts shaping Mexico’s manufacturing future isn’t showing up in site selection models—it’s the growing role of women in the workforce.

According to the World Bank’s gender data on Mexico, fewer than half of working-age women participate in the labor force—compared to more than three-quarters of men. That gap underscores both the challenge and the opportunity ahead.

A Workforce Evolution Already Underway

Across Mexico, women are increasingly entering manufacturing roles, particularly in sectors like electronics, medical devices, and advanced assembly. Data from Data México shows women now represent a substantial portion of the national workforce, with strong representation in precision-oriented industries. More specifically, women make up roughly 40 percent of Mexico’s manufacturing workforce, with even higher concentrations in certain export-driven sectors.

In the border-adjacent nearshoring corridors, those numbers can climb even further. In maquiladora-heavy regions, women often represent half or more of the workforce in industries such as electronics and medical devices, underscoring how central they already are to Mexico’s export manufacturing engine.

That shift is not accidental.

As Mexico’s manufacturing base has evolved toward higher-value, more technical production, the demand for skilled, detail-oriented labor has expanded. At the same time, cultural acceptance of women in these roles has grown, supported by decades of development under the IMMEX (maquiladora) model.

But while participation at the line level is rising, leadership representation still lags—a gap that presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The Leadership Gap—and Why It Matters

“There’s been real progress in getting women into manufacturing,” notes Kallee Grube, Chief Revenue Officer of The Nearshore Company. “But when you look at plant supervisors, operations leadership, and executive roles, the numbers don’t yet reflect that same growth.”

This imbalance isn’t unique to Mexico. Globally, women hold less than one-third of manufacturing leadership roles, a disparity highlighted in research from the World Economic Forum.

But in a nearshoring environment where companies are building new operations from the ground up, there’s a chance to design differently.

And that’s where strategy comes in.

Building the Pipeline—Intentionally

If nearshoring is about building future-ready operations, then workforce design has to be part of that equation.

Kallee points to three areas where companies can make a measurable impact:

1. Education and Access

Technical education pipelines, such as those focusing on engineering, quality control, and advanced manufacturing, are critical, Kallee says. Mexico has made meaningful investments in technical training, but alignment between education and real-world industry demand remains essential to sustaining growth.

2. Workplace Infrastructure

Childcare remains one of the most persistent barriers to workforce participation. Research from the World Bank highlights caregiving responsibilities as a primary constraint on women’s employment in Mexico. Flexible scheduling, accessible childcare options, and thoughtful shift design are not “benefits,” they’re enablers of workforce stability.

3. Objective Performance Frameworks

Perhaps most importantly, advancement must be tied to clearly defined, measurable criteria. “When performance metrics are transparent,” Kallee says, “you remove a lot of the ambiguity—and with it, a lot of the bias.”

That clarity matters in manufacturing environments, where advancement pathways have historically been informal or relationship-driven.

From Inclusion to Outcomes

There’s no shortage of discussion around diversity and inclusion. But as Kallee candidly points out, many initiatives fall short because they stop at intent.

“Programs are often well-meaning, but they don’t always translate into structural change,” she explains. “If you don’t have systems that support advancement, like mentorship, sponsorship, and other criteria, then you’re not really changing outcomes.”

The distinction matters.

High-performing manufacturing organizations are increasingly treating gender diversity not as a compliance exercise, but as a performance lever. Research from McKinsey & Company shows that companies with more diverse leadership teams are significantly more likely to outperform their peers.

In a nearshoring context, where speed, quality, and workforce reliability are paramount, that advantage compounds quickly.

The Role of Leadership

Progress ultimately comes down to leadership, both in setting expectations and modeling behavior.

It’s a balance many women in manufacturing still navigate —being direct and decisive, while also being mindful of how that communication is perceived, Kallee notes. That tension hasn’t disappeared, but it is changing.

And increasingly, leaders are choosing to address it head-on.

That means establishing clear, unbiased evaluation systems. Creating mentorship and sponsorship pathways. Encouraging open dialogue without penalty. And measuring progress with real data, rather than assumptions.

It also means acknowledging that building a more inclusive workforce is not separate from building a more effective one.

Why This Matters for Nearshoring

For companies considering Mexico as part of their nearshoring strategy, this isn’t a side conversation. It’s central to long-term success.

A deeper, more inclusive talent pool expands hiring flexibility in tight labor markets. It improves retention and workforce stability. It strengthens operational performance. And it enhances ESG positioning with customers and investors.

There’s also a broader economic implication. A Reuters report estimates that increasing women’s workforce participation could add hundreds of billions of dollars to Mexico’s GDP.

In short, it makes operations more resilient.

And in today’s environment, resilience is the differentiator.

A Moment Worth Getting Right

Mexico’s manufacturing sector is at an inflection point. Nearshoring is accelerating investment, expanding capacity, and creating new opportunities at scale.

The question is not whether women will be part of that growth—they already are.

The question is whether companies will fully leverage that opportunity.

 “We have the chance to build something better,” says Kallee, “not just bigger. And that starts with how we think about talent.”

For organizations entering or expanding in Mexico, the message is clear: the future of manufacturing is not just about where you operate. It’s about who you empower along the way.

At The Nearshore Company, we spend a lot of time helping clients think through where and how to build in Mexico. Increasingly, that conversation goes beyond site selection and cost modeling. It’s about workforce strategy: how to attract, develop, and retain the talent that will ultimately determine success on the ground. Because in today’s nearshoring environment, the decisions that matter most aren’t just where you locate, but how you build the workforce that will power it.