While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly created new and unique challenges for everyone (and certainly considerable heartbreak and hardship for many), teaching woodworking "online" or "remotely" is not an easy task! How can students become familiarized with woodworking tools and machinery, learn proper safety technique, and experience HANDS-ON education through a screen? The educators in the Woodwork Career Alliance network have been busy and creative, thinking of ways to continue learning for their students. Students have been earning their WCA credentials while participating in remote learning as well. Check out these articles to learn more:
WCA Educators Share Distance Learning Experiences
COVID[...]
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This year, SkillsUSA California put students’ woodworking skills to the test at six regional competitions throughout the state. As the national SkillsUSA website states: “Skills USA is a national nonprofit organization serving middle school, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.” AWFS® sponsored Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM) members volunteered at three of these California events.
Region 3 Introductory Woodworking Students with their projects.
The SkillsUSA CA Region 3 Conference was held on January 25th at[...]
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Young professionals shared their experience working in the woodworking and finishing industry and answered questions via livestream from students…the Feb. 26 Careers in the Classroom event by Cue Career and AWFS…Read more…[...]
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AWFS® announces the second Design it Digital, a CAD-based design competition that is open to middle school, high school, and post-secondary students …This contest is entirely free to enter and entry applications will be accepted until May 29, 2020. Read more…[...]
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 15, 2019
CONTACT: Adria Salvatore, AWFS (323) 215-0311
Anaheim, CA – November 15, 2019 – The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS®) is in support of the “Counseling for Career Choice Act”, introduced by Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI-2) and Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA-15). The bill would provide grants to states to establish a comprehensive school counseling program.
“School counselors play a critical role in the information students receive about career opportunities and the choices they make”, says AWFS Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone. “We welcome any efforts to strengthen the counseling system and allow more resources to reach students.”
The “Counseling[...]
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MFG Day is Friday, October 4, 2019
MFG Day ("Manufacturing Day") is a nation-wide campaign to strengthen student awareness of manufacturing career opportunities. This is your chance to open your doors, welcome students, and make a positive impact on career awareness (and your future employee pipeline)!
Did you know...
...89% of students who attended MFG Day events are "more aware of manufacturing jobs in their communities"
...84% are "more convinced that manufacturing provides careers that are interesting and rewarding"
...64% are "more motivated to pursue careers in manufacturing"
(source)
How to Get Started
Once you decide to host an event, publish it on the MFG Day website.
Here are some additional resources to help[...]
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Exciting news! A registered “woodwork manufacturing specialist” apprenticeship should be available in about a year! This is a hot topic and something our industry has needed for quite some time. It will help wood manufacturers (especially small and medium-sized) be able to offer an apprenticeship in their factories. According to Mark Smith, a member of the development committee for the apprenticeship, the group plans to submit the apprenticeship to the DOL for review in October, and the approval process is expected to take one year. Read all the details here. [...]
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Designed to meet the current needs of the show audience demographics, the 50 sessions will span topics to strengthen corporate culture and grow your workforce, enhance business management expertise, improve skill sets, and increase knowledge of the latest technologies. Read more...[...]
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Associations participating in the Wood Industry Resource Collaborative (WIRC), of which AWFS is a founding member, are working with Industrial Strength Marketing on a campaign to increase awareness and improve the perception of careers in the wood industry. Industrial’s past projects include the “MFG Day” initiative with National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and a rebranding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network. “We are excited to work with Industrial and feel confident that we are in good hands,” says AWFS Education Director Adria Salvatore, “Industrial has an impressive portfolio and is exclusively focused on the manufacturing industry. They understand our objectives[...]
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You may have already seen that last week the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte published the highly anticipated 2018 update to their oft-referenced Manufacturing Skills Gap study. The need is even more intense than the last report in 2015.
You can download the full report and the synopsis, and see infographics here:
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/manufacturing/articles/future-of-manufacturing-skills-gap-study.html
And this article is a good summary: http://ww2.cfo.com/people/2018/11/for-manufacturers-skills-gap-keeps-widening/ Some highlights from the article/report:
“The (skills gap) problem is only expected to worsen. As many as 2.4 million jobs may go unfilled over the next 10 years, according to the study. That could put at risk $454 billion in manufacturing value — or 17% of forecasted[...]
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