Being A Multicultural Millennial Female In Pharma Manufacturing

By Camille Mojica Rey, Contributing Writer
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The American pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing workforce is 74 percent white and 58 percent male, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is also a workforce that is predominantly older, given that experience is a prized commodity in the industry. In 2019, millennials — those born between 1980 and 2000 — are expected to surpass baby boomers — born between 1946 and 1964 — as the largest living generation.

The U.S. manufacturing industry as a whole faces a 2 million worker shortfall over the next 10 years, according to a 2015 report by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute. For Tawni Koutchesfahani, director of manufacturing strategy at Relypsa, pharmaceutical manufacturing must diversify if it is to thrive. That means the recruitment and retention of more women and more millennials, like Koutchesfahani.