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,[...]
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Industry professionals from AWFS® (Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers®) member companies and the Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM) supported students from high schools across the state competing in the first ever remote SkillsUSA California Cabinetmaking and Introductory Woodworking contests. The contests were designed to be completed entirely at home, and students submitted videos and participated in virtual interviews with the judges.
Virtual Competitions a New Experience for All
The virtual woodworking skill contests consisted of four components: a written test, which included safety, mathematical, and woodworking knowledge questions; a woodworking project that could be built at home; a brief video presentation[...]
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by Adria Salvatore, AWFS
In March 2021, Saúl Martín was invited to speak virtually to the woodworking classes at Redwood High School in Visalia, Calif. Martín is vice president of operations at Architectural Woodworking Company (AWC) in Southern California, a company that produces high end woodwork and furniture for commercial clients in Downtown Los Angeles. He is also a strong supporter of woodworking education programs: he is lead volunteer for the SkillsUSA California woodworking contests, he has hosted student internships and teacher externships, he serves on local school advisory committees and has hosted MFG Day (Manufacturing Day) events. In the fall[...]
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By Adria Salvatore, AWFS® Education Director
Happy #CTEMonth! In February, we celebrate Career Technical Education (CTE) and highlight ways to engage with CTE programs, teachers, and students!
What is CTE?
When you were in high school, you may have been aware of “vocational education” or “shop” classes -- this was historically how students learned woodworking skills. But today, the educational landscape has changed and the focus is now on Career Technical Education (CTE), which provides students with real-world skills to prepare them for future careers in industry. CTE spans many industry sectors, but for the wood industry, CTE programs that would[...]
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YouWood is a new industry-wide website that provides information and resources about careers in wood. The site was developed by WIRC (Wood Industry Resource Collaborative), a group of leadership representatives from wood industry organizations. AWFS® is a Founding and Executive member of WIRC, and other member associations include: WMMA and WMIA (also both Executive members), AWI, CPA, IWF Atlanta, NWFA, NBMDA, WCMA, and WMA.
Click Here to Read Ten Ways You Can Help
Spread the Word to Students and Job Seekers about Careers in the Wood Industry!
To learn more, contact AWFS® Assistant Executive Director, Education Adria Salvatore.[...]
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Nashville, TN January 27, 2021 - The Wood Industry Resource Collaborative (WIRC) is excited to announce the launch of their industry-wide career awareness campaign, “You Wood.” Developed by several industry trade associations led by AWFS, WMIA, and WMMA, in partnership with Nashville-based INDUSTRIAL Strength Marketing, the WIRC campaign aims to communicate wood industry career pathways and attract new talent.
The “You Wood” campaign features a website with career resource information, including profiles of high-demand positions, career quizzes, links to educational resources like schools and scholarships, industry information, and an events calendar. The site will be continually updated, and features will be[...]
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NELLYSFORD, VA – Richard Memory has made woodworking history — again.
The trail-blazing employee of Jefferson Millwork & Design recently became the first professional woodworker awarded the Gold credential by the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA). In fall 2019, Memory was the first woodworking pro to earn the WCA’s Red credential.
Greg Heuer, secretary of the WCA, presented Memory his Gold credential certificate, pin and patch during a ceremony held on Jefferson Millwork’s shop floor attended by company managers and fellow employees. “Until 2007, woodworkers like everyone here had no nationally recognized path to demonstrate their progress and achievements,” Heuer said. “The[...]
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SHARED FROM WOODWORKING NETWORK
Woodworking Network asked their readers to share how they got started in the wood industry, check out this article for the responses. The answers vary - from the military, high school woodworking, flooring, construction industry...there are so many opportunities and career paths! Read the full article here, and follow Woodworking Network on Facebook to see and participate in future conversations like this.[...]
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SHARED FROM WOODWORKING NETWORK
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many day-to-day activities to a halt, but woodworking and technical training is continuing, both in person and online.
Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, is currently offering hybrid instruction. Students attend lab every other day. On their off days, students access videos and other learning resources online. When in class, students are required to wear masks and practice social distancing, said Patrick Molzahn, Cabinetmaking & Millwork program director. He has actually seen an increase in enrollment, and 80 percent of their students who had to delay graduation this past spring have returned[...]
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Anaheim, Calif. – November 9, 2020 — The 2021 AWFS®Fair show cycle is under way and the Call for Proposals for the show’s “College of Woodworking Knowledge” (CWWK) educational seminar program is now open.
Technical experts, exhibitors with an educational segment, business owners and managers, consultants and other wood products manufacturing professionals are invited to submit proposal ideas for seminars to be held at the AWFS®Fair, July 20-23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The deadline for proposal submittal is December 1, 2020.
Seminars are presented in a variety of time slots ranging from 60 minutes to three hours. The program includes classroom-style presentations, panels,[...]
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