By Casey Britten When Pacey Berken chose his final project in the Fox Valley Technical College Woodworking Technology program, he was thinking of his grandparents. “My grandparents put me through the program, so I figured they should get a little return on their investment,” the 2022 graduate explains. “I wanted to design a chair that […]
Stanley Black & Decker has established the DeWalt Trades Scholarship to assist individuals attending a two-year college or vocational-technical school to pursue a trade degree/certificate in an industry aligned with the Stanley Black & Decker Trade Goals – including but are not limited to Construction, Industrial, Motor/Power Sector, Mechanics, and Technology. Up to 40 $5,000 […]
Students attending Woodwork Career Alliance EDUcation member high schools and postsecondary schools garnered two first places, two second places and an honorable mention in the 2023 AWFS Fresh Wood student woodworking competition. Students at Lincoln East High School of Lincoln, Neb., took first and second place in the High School Design for Production category. Ethan […]
Fifty-five competitors representing high schools and colleges from around the country had merely eight hours to create a highly customized standing cabinet. At the end of the day, only six of them departed Atlanta with a medal in the 2023 SkillsUSA Cabinetmaking competition. The Cabinetmaking contest was one of 110 separate events held during the […]
The 2023 AWFS Fair is quickly approaching and WCA is preparing for a robust show! This year, our major focus is on helping more wood products manufacturers create or improve their in-house training programs. For starters WCA Board Member Bruce Spitz and myself will conduct a workshop, “Building a Training Program for Your Workers,” 9:30 […]
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America is pleased to welcome the following new members and renewing sponsors. Thank you for your membership and support! New EDUcation™ Members The Fredericksburg Workshop LLC – Fredericksburg, VA Next Step of West Michigan – Grand Rapids, MI New Berlin West Middle & High School – New Berlin, WI […]
Membership benefits include access to online training videos and instructional guides. LINCOLN, Neb. – Wood product manufacturers looking for a solution to recruit, train, and retain skilled production employees should consider becoming a MANufacturing™ member of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA). The WCA MANufacturing membership is designed for forward-thinking woodworking companies willing […]
High School students of woodworking programs in Illinois and Nebraska took top honors in Castle USA’s 2022-23 “What’s Your Angle” student contest. Students of Reed-Custer High School of Braidwood, Ill., won the Class Entry category for a custom kitchen cabinet build. DJ Shaw, a student at Lincoln East High School of Lincoln, Neb., won the […]
According to a 2021 study conducted by Woodworking Network and the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America, nearly three-quarters (73.8%) of participating woodworking representatives indicated it is “very challenging” to hire qualified workers for their manufacturing operations. What’s more, most (57.9%) said the challenge to find and hire good help is “much more challenging” than […]