Woodwork Career Alliance Launches Online Courses to Address In-house Training Challenges

These courses are designed for new woodworkers but also contain valuable information for more experienced employees.

LINCOLN, Neb.—The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA) announces the launch of a new series of online training courses designed to provide a foundational understanding of woodworking for new employees. The initiative aims to help wood manufacturing companies overcome the challenges of in-house training and accelerate new hires’ productivity.

Finding and training new employees with little to no prior woodworking experience can be a significant challenge for companies. In-house training often requires a skilled staff member to dedicate time away from their core work, a process that can be both expensive and inefficient. New employees may struggle to grasp complex on-the-job instructions without a solid grasp of fundamental concepts and industry vocabulary. This knowledge gap can lead to frustration and slow progress, impacting a company’s bottom line.

The WCA’s new online training modules are specifically designed to bridge this gap. The courses provide essential background knowledge in a comprehensive, structured online format. This allows new employees to study at home or on company time, review material as often as they need, and learn at their own pace.

“We believe these courses will allow your employees to become productive much faster and with a more in-depth understanding of fundamental woodworking principles than they would otherwise,” said Greg Larson, vice president of the WCA.

The new online curriculum currently includes five courses:

• WCA Overview: Introduces the WCA’s mission, skill standards, and credentialing process.
• Math, Measuring and Layout: Covers workshop-related math, including fractional math, and fundamental measuring and layout techniques.
• Wood Theory: A deep dive into the properties of wood, wood movement, and lumber measurement
•  Milling and Machining: Teaches basic milling and machining operations, including how to mill a board “4 Square” using standard equipment.
• Woodworking Fundamentals: Explores panel products, adhesives, fasteners, joinery, and cabinet construction.

These courses are designed for new woodworkers but also contain valuable information for more experienced employees. Upon completing the modules, trainees will be prepared to pursue the WCA’s Core credential, the first step on the path to becoming a certified woodworking professional.

The courses are available free of charge to employees of companies with a current WCA MANufacturing™ Membership and to students at schools with an EDUcation™ Membership. The WCA’s Manufacturing membership, priced at an annual fee of $250 per company, is a valuable investment for wood manufacturing firms looking to develop their workforce. By documenting employee skills, identifying training needs, and providing a clear career path, WCA membership helps companies reduce turnover and build a more knowledgeable and productive team.

For more information on the online training modules and how to implement them within your company, contact Greg Larson at info@woodworkcareer.org.

About the Woodwork Career Alliance
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded in 2007. 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 over 240 woodworking machine operations. The WCA has issued over 6,000 Passport credentials, a portable, personal permanent record documenting woodworking skill achievements. Over 140 high schools and post-secondary schools across North America are WCA EDUcation™ members, and a growing number of woodworking companies have joined as WCA MANufacturing™ members. To learn more about the WCA and how to get involved, including INDustry™ Sponsorship opportunities, visit WoodworkCareer.org.