AWFS, AWI, WCA Partner to Produce Career Awareness Video

The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers^® (AWFS^®), the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI), and the Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA) have come together to produce a video about careers in the wood industry in partnership with the “In Depth with Laurence Fishburne” program. The six-minute feature video will be distributed to public television stations nationwide beginning in June.

In Depth programs are “short form” videos which cover many topics and feature an introduction by actor Laurence Fishburne. They are distributed to public television affiliates and they run between full-length public television programming. A one-minute commercial version of the video was also produced, which will air on cable networks including Fox Business Network and others. The associations also received a full-length version that can be distributed through their own channels.

“We are so excited to partner with In Depth on this video project,” says AWFS^® Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone. “This is a fantastic way to reach a new audience through In Depth’s distribution channels. By collaborating with AWI and WCA, we could access the fantastic manufacturing facility at Hollywood Woodwork, add more voices to the story, and ensure that our industry’s skill standards are included in the conversation.”

The video showcases Hollywood Woodwork, a high-end commercial architectural woodworking firm in Hollywood, Florida. Sebastien DesMarais, President of Hollywood Woodwork and current AWI Board President is featured in the video. Others included in the video are: Brian Joyce, VP of Sales, Blum Inc and AWFS® Executive Board Member; Doug Hague, AWI Executive Vice President; Scott Nelson, President, WCA; and Jennifer Glender, Senior Project Manager, Hollywood Woodwork.

“This video project was a lot of fun,” says AWI Executive Vice President Doug Hague. “Video is an ideal way to reach a universal audience, including young people and those who influence their career-making decisions like parents, educators, and school counselors. We feel this video will make a positive impact on shifting the perception of wood industry careers. We are extremely grateful to Hollywood Woodwork for opening their doors to serve as an example of today’s wood products manufacturing facility.”

The purpose of the video is to showcase a modern wood manufacturing facility, including the machinery, workforce, and environment, and to introduce the general public to wood industry careers. Those interviewed in the video talk about the many segments of the wood industry, skills needed for wood industry careers, education and training opportunities, and different careers and pathways available.

“This was a unique opportunity, and it was important that WCA could participate in it,” says WCA President Scott Nelson. “We are very satisfied with the end-product and hope this can be an asset that our industry can continue to use to introduce wood manufacturing to our future workforce and the general public.”

Questions? Contact: Adria Salvatore, AWFS^® Assistant Executive Director, Education at adria@awfs.org

Watch the 6-minute full length video:

Watch the 1-minute commercial here:

ABOUT AWFS^®
The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers^® (AWFS®), founded in 1911, is a non-profit organization that wholly owns and produces the biennial AWFS^®Fair. The largest trade association serving the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, AWFS has more than 400 members, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, software, tooling, lumber, components, plastics, wood products and supplies for the woodworking industry including cabinet, furniture, millwork and custom woodworking products.

About AWI
The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1953. Today, AWI represents thousands of members consisting of architectural woodworkers, suppliers, design professionals and students from around the world.

About the Woodwork Career Alliance
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The WCA’s mission is to develop and administer a unified set of Skill Standards for the wood products industry. Since 2011, WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 300 woodworking machine operations. In addition, WCA has issued over 3,500 Passport credentials, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of woodworking skill achievements. More than 140 high schools and post-secondary schools throughout North America are WCA EDUcation™ members and a growing number of woodworking companies have joined the WCA as MANufacturing™ members. To learn more about the WCA and how to get involved with its programs, including sponsorship opportunities, visit WoodworkCareer.org.