Woodwork Career Alliance Revs Up for AWFS Fair

The WCA is all in for the Vegas woodworking show to discuss its programs and industry best practices for developing a skilled workforce.

LAS VEGAS – The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America immensely looks forward to reconnecting with the wood products industry at the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas, July 20-23.

“We are thrilled to participate at the AWFS Fair,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “I imagine the show will feel like a big industry reunion. It’s going to be great to meet new people and to catch up with industry friends and supporters we haven’t seen since before the pandemic. I’m also excited about being able to discuss some of the new programs we’re working on for school woodworking programs and professional woodworkers.”

One of the newest programs WCA will showcase is its online training for accredited skill evaluators (ASE). The online platform allows woodworking instructors to schedule their ASE training and testing at their convenience saving them both time and travel costs. Since its soft launch last fall, 32 teachers from 13 states have enrolled in the online ASE training program.

“The biggest benefit for instructors far and away is the ability to get trained anywhere in the world and at their own pace,” said Greg Larson, vice president of the WCA. “We’ve also added more material to the training session, so it’s more in-depth. This will help us grow the number of WCA EDUcation programs throughout the U.S. and Canada that educate students using WCA’s woodworking industry-recognized skill standards. That’s a major benefit for the industry that is desperate to find qualified candidates.”

Visitors to the WCA’s booth can put their spray finishing skills to the test by using the SimSpray virtual reality apparatus.

Nelson and Bruce Spitz, a member of the WCA Board of Directors and former owner of Classic Millwork & Products, will co-present a workforce development workshop: Building a Training Program for Your Workers. The nuts-and-bolts session is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22. Attendees will actually create training a template based on their production shop’s unique needs. They will also learn how to develop new employees for their first two years both in knowledge-based skills and machine-based skills.

Just for fun, the WCA invites all AWFS Fair participants – attendees and exhibitors alike – to put their spray finishing skills to the test. The SimSpray virtual reality finish training apparatus will be ready for all challengers in the WCA’s booth.

WCA representatives will be on hand to discuss its industry-recognized skill standards and credentialing programs for students and professionals.

Be sure to stop by the WCA’s booth #1979. Learn more at woodworkcareer.org.

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.