Strada

The Strada logo: the word Strada in a sans-serif font, in white, with a green period at the end
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The Strada logo: the word Strada in a sans-serif font, in white, with a green period at the end
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Empowering women in manufacturing through leadership development

STRADA is a leadership development programme for emerging female leaders across manufacturing to develop knowledge and skills to become more effective in their career and their organization.

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Join STRADA Programme

Passionate About Supporting Manufacturing Careers?
If you have experience in the manufacturing sector and a desire to make a positive impact, we invite you to become a mentor. Share your knowledge, guide aspiring professionals, and help them navigate their career paths. Your expertise can truly make a difference!

Become a Mentor
YOUR WAY INTO STRADA
As a participant

Female ESTEAM (entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics), social science and humanities students in MSc and PhD degrees oriented to manufacturing or women employed in industrial positions, academia or RTOs related to manufacturing, eager to start and grow their own business or develop their professional careers and rise to management and leadership positions.

APPLY HERE

We extend a warm welcome to individuals of all nationalities. However, please note that in order to apply for this opportunity, it is a requirement that applicants maintain a residence within Europe.

As a mentor

ESTEAM (entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics), social science or humanities professionals working within business organizations, universities, public administration oriented to manufacturing and eager to share their knowledge and experiences.

APPLY HERE

We extend a warm welcome to individuals of all nationalities. However, please note that in order to apply for this opportunity, it is a requirement that applicants maintain a residence within Europe.

As a speaker

We all love to be inspired and learn something new. STRADA is looking for executives, business communication leads, academics, and agents of change who embody this spirit of connection, inclusion, leadership, courage, and integrity and who have stories that showcase the true power of communication. Do you want to share your experiences with our mentees? Contact info@stradawomen.eu

As a collaborator

Would you like to be part of the program and participate in our activities? You can contribute to our hands-on workshops and roundtables and share your best-practices, and experiences or be a part of the networking events that will connect you with people from different backgrounds and expertise. Contact info@stradawomen.eu

Training

3 month programme offering up to 30 hours of training, international workshops, teambuilding sessions and networking that will rise you to lead the change in the manufacturing sector.

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Webinars

Improve your presentation skills, work on your horizontal leadership abilities and receive guidance on the funding opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs.

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Mentoring

Experienced mentors will help analyze your strengths and work on your weaknesses to achieve personal and professional growth by developing a career plan through 1:1 mentoring sessions.

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The programme is mainly based on on-line activities with no cost for the participants.

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Our Goal

To provide women in manufacturing environments with the necessary skills to start and grow their own business or develop their professional careers, whether in academia or industry, rising to management and leadership positions. ​
About Us

Why STRADA Programme

Empowering Women in Manufacturing is a leadership programme targeted to female MSc and PhD students in manufacturing environments (engineering, science, maths, etc) and women employed in manufacturing. The leadership programme combines mentorship with training on innovation, entrepreneurship, digitisation, management. The programme includes networking opportunities and career development mentoring.

Empowering

Women only represent 25% of management positions despite being half the population of higher education graduates in the world.

Prosperity

Companies that are diverse, equitable and inclusive are better able to respond to challenges, win top talent.

Diversity

Heterogeneous teams are more effective and productive than homogeneous ones.

Foundation Partners

What our participants are saying?

Iria Galiñanes Romero CTAG

It has been an amazing experience. Being able to meet other women with successful professional careers, who help me improve every day.

Pınar Çetin Atölye Mutfak

It was very inspiring to meet people from different countries and hear their experiences. The meetings with my mentor were enjoyable and opened up opportunities ened up opportunities for a new job.

Marcella Onida Green Social Bench srl

It was a fantastic experience because I've learned how to better manage my employees.

Jurgita Šimanskienė UAB LVG Holding

Being part of Strada has helped me to have a clear focus on where I want to be and what I want to do as a woman in manufacturing.

Deolinda Isabel Fernandes da Silva

During the program, I had the chance to learn a wide variety of tools to apply in my current position. More than that, I gained self-confidence and trust in my personal and professional abilities.

Chiara Marinelli University of Trieste

I strongly recommend STRADA to all women who would like to achieve both personal and professional growth. High-quality teachers, variegate teaching topics and several possibilities to interact make this program unique and worth the commitment.

Maria Dolores Romero FEMPA-INNOMETALIA

Being part of this initiative has been a transformative experience, equipping me with essential knowledge and connections that will undoubtedly drive positive changes in the metal sector's innovation landscape. I am truly thankful for the support, guidance, and learning opportunities that the program has provided.

Maria Grazia Asci

Very interesting and challenging topics, the programme helps me to focus on my skills and the mentoring sessions helped me to deeply analize my goals and the avrion plant to achieve them

Laura Carsaniga CARSANIGA SRL

Thanks to Strada Program I had the opportunity to improve my skills in strategic topics and I could share experiencies with other women and be boost to try to make a change.

Carmen Araquistain Portela Despunte

My experience as a mentor in STRADA program has been incredibly rewarding. Over the past three years, as a young entrepreneur, I've developed my leadership abilities and accelerated my learning across various personal and business domains.

Zivile Ramoskiene Ecogrant, MB

The "Women in Manufacturing" program provided me with an excellent opportunity to be a mentor; It was a great chance to reassess my knowledge and expertise, deepen my understanding of my profession, and simultaneously assist another woman in her growth.

Ann LoCicero smartFAB

The Strada program has given me the opportunity to practice my leadership skills outside of our startup, sharing my experiences, insights, and, more importantly, listening to the mentee’s aspirations and concerns. To empower another is to give them the tools and confidence to shape their destiny.

Paloma Lozano Innogate to Europe

STRADA has provided me with a well designed programme, methodology and tools that complement my past experience as a Mentor. I have learnt from the mentoring needs and feedback received from my Mentee and I have been inspired by her enthusiasm and bright potential.

Nicole Ballantyne MESTEC Limited

STRADA's light touch programme gives flexibility for the mentee and mentor - gain and get are proportional!

Dr. Begüm Önal B-NL Academy & Consultancy

The programme has supported in my leadership development how to understand my mentee's needs and how to set actual goals, and how well I can communicate & manage with my mentee.This leadership journey encouraged the both me and my mentee to share our insights.

Triin Kõrgmaa
CEO / Member of the Board – Salvest AS
Triin Kõrgmaa has been in the food industry for 15 years. She has worked in various positions in several large Estonian companies, such as Valio Eesti and HKScan Estonia. She currently manages one of the largest and best known food companies in Estonia – Salvest. In addition to being CEO of Salvest, she is also a member of the board.

Photo by Stina Lill

Marju Zirel
Head of Investor Relations – AS Tallinna Sadam

 

Marju Zirel first joined the Port of Tallinn 16 years ago and has held various financial positions there, as treasurer, EU project manager and IPO project manager. Today she is working as the group head of investor relations. She has been a finance manager in an international manufacturing-construction company and logistics-transport company, and previously also worked in the finance department of the Tartu City Government. In addition, Marju is a member of the TalTech Logistics Programme Advisory Board.

Photo from Tallinna Sadam gallery

Helina Põldemaa
Verification Engineer – Karl Storz
Helina Põldemaa is an alumnus of the University of Tartu with a bachelor’s degree in physics, a master’s degree and a doctorate in materials science. Over four years ago, after completing the second year of her doctoral studies, Helina joined the medical equipment manufacturer Karl Storz Video Endoscopy Estonia OÜ as a full-time validation engineer. By now, she has gathered about 1.5 years of experience as a validation manager at Karl Storz.

Photo by Sigrid Proosvelt

Triin Anette Kaasik
CEO / Member of the Board – Data Print OÜ
Triin Anette Kaasik has 30 years of management experience in various Estonian manufacturing companies such as Sangar, Estiko-Plastar and today Data Print. In addition to her everyday manufacturing work, she is involved in community life, being a member of Tartu Hansa Rotary Club and Tartu City Government.

Photo by Merle Värv

Liisa Luhaste
Manager – Moe OÜ
Liisa Luhaste has worked in the spirits industry close to 10 years. Started off as a technician in the laboratory of Rakvere Spirits Factory and working now as the manager of Moe Distillery. Master’s degree in chemistry has helped her dive deep into production and development of drinks whilst it being considered a masculine area.

Photo from private gallery

Kaire Kuldpere
Head of Environment and Sustainability – AS Utilitas Eesti
Kaire Kuldpere is the Head of Environment and Sustainability of the energy group Utilitas. She has long-term work and leadership experience in the fields of environment, energy, infrastructure and sustainability in general.

Previously, as Audit Manager at the National Audit Office of Estonia, Kaire was involved in organizing and conducting audits in the fields of energy, environment, state infrastructure, transport and IT. She started her career as a consultant and project manager in the field of energy and environment. She holds a Master’s degree in Heat Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Environmental Protection Technology.

Photo by Jake Farra

Emöke Sogenbits
Managing Director / Member of Management Board – Raumedic Estonia AS
Emöke Sogenbits served in numerous positions of leadership in operations over the course of her long international career. She has been working in several supply chain, global sourcing and operations management positions in China, Central Europe and USA.

Photo by Andras Kralla

Sirli Männiksaar
Head of Supply Site Tallinn / Chairman of the Board – Ericsson Eesti AS
Sirli Männiksaar is the Country Manager of Ericsson Estonia and the Head of Supply Site. Sirli has a Master of Science in Product Development and she has also studied Quality Management. She’s been in Ericsson since 2004 and has worked with supply chain, strategy, digital transformation and management quality. For the last three years, she worked for the global Ericsson digitization organization, creating, among other things, machine learning models with her team.

Today Sirli leads the innovation-driven supply site in Tallinn, where latest 4G and 5G products are industrialized for clients all around the world.

 

Photo by Rauno Liivand