Rung in the News

In this guest blog by Justine Patterson, a cohort member with Rung for Women, she shares her lived experience building her career through career literacy and networking strength to reach her goals. (DeBruce Foundation)

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is fostering a more diverse workforce through establishing connections with local schools and programs like Rung for Women, which has been successful in training women who want to break into more specialized careers. (STLPR)

Many people work to help make St. Louis a better place for all. Leslie Gill, president, Rung for Women, said the organization’s goal for 2023 is to “connect 100-plus women to high-demand career pathways in tech, geospatial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.” (St. Louis Magazine)

The $25 million federal grant the St. Louis region recently won to bolster advanced manufacturing is intended for all residents, not just those in the city. Rung was awarded $1 million to help develop programs to help women who want to break into the industry. (STLPR)

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Madison County and the St. Louis region workforce innovation areas a four-year, $5.8 million grant to be part of the Apprenticeship Building America program. Rung is one of the partners working with SIUE. (St. Louis/Southern Ill. Labor Tribune)

“Establish equal pay for equal work, a practice Rung for Women urges employers to offer, stating that ‘if the role has value, it should not matter who is in that role—they should be paid the same.'” (LinkedIn)

Leslie Gill, president, Rung for Women, discusses the gender wage gap and how to close it. (PNC C-Speak)

“We’re excited about what this opportunity will do for women, especially women of color, who are interested in moving up the rungs of the economic opportunity ladder,” said Leslie Gill, president of Rung for Women, which will receive $1 million from the Build Back Better grant. (STLPR)

Rung for Women will receive $1M of the $25M Build Back Better Regional Challenge so it can identify talent gaps for middle-skill careers within advanced manufacturing, build training and credentialing programs with higher education partners to fill gaps, and recruit, prepare, and place women — 70% women of color — in jobs with local employers. (KSDK)

Boeing’s partnership with the St. Louis Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center will help develop a more diverse employee pool and position St. Louis as a national hub for manufacturing. Rung is already working with the center on workforce development. (STLPR)

St. Louis resident Sara Lopez decided to pursue a career in geospatial technology. She enrolled in a data analyst training course in March 2021. Through Rung, several GEOINT-related organizations, and her determination to break down barriers, Sara is now a level 1 geospatial analyst for T-Kartor USA, a geospatial software provider headquartered in St. Louis. (Trajectory Magazine)

Cosmos Corporation in St. Peters, MO, invests in Rung Wellness Programming, which supports the holistic well-being of Rung members on their path to a family-sustaining career. (Cosmos)

Leslie Gill, president, Rung for Women, was named among the Most Influential Business Women 2022 by the St. Louis Business Journal. Read her interview where she discusses achievements, mentors, and work-life balance. (St. Louis Business Journal)

The Cardinals Family Autographed Baseball Grab Bag fundraiser came back for 2022. Proceeds supported St. Louis Area Foodbank, Rung for Women, and Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas. (mlb.com)

The Cardinals Family Autographed Baseball Grab Bag fundraiser returned August 6. Significant others of Cardinals players and coaches sold mystery grab bags to fans for $60. Funds raised went to area nonprofits, including Rung. (KMOV)

Rung partnered with TechSTL for a survey that aims to understand how the St. Louis region can better support women in the workplace, particularly women who are entering and advancing in tech and STEM careers. (KMOV)

Rung for Women and TechSTL are partnering to try to even the playing field for women in the technology sector in St. Louis. (St. Louis American)

A national survey ranked St. Louis as one of the worst cities for women in technology careers. Rung and TechSTL are launching a new initiative to diagnose the challenges and improve opportunities for working women. (KMOX)

In the heart of St. Louis is an educational oasis: Rung for Women. Rung is a career services nonprofit that trains women for careers that will be in demand in the future — including in the geospatial industry. (HEC-TV)

A SmartAsset survey found women working in technology in St. Louis are paid less than men and are more underrepresented compared to other cities around the country. The financial website ranked St. Louis 54th out of 59 cities. Rung and TechSTL are partnering to change that. (STLPR)

Rung for Women was named one of the top places to work in St. Louis by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis. The organization honored companies that met or exceeded criteria for workplace gender equity in four areas: leadership, compensation, flexible work policies, and recruitment and retention. (St. Louis Business Journal)

Rung’s headquarters (2717 Sidney St.) was honored as a 2022 Most Enhanced property by the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. (Landmarks Association of St. Louis)

The Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (MSSDAR) supports Rung’s onsite food-growing program, which feeds Rung members and food-insecure-residents of the surrounding neighborhood. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Rung is mentioned as an example of an organization that is actively seeking to expand workforce diversity and improve inclusion. More companies will want to understand these initiatives when choosing a new location. (Industry Today)