2024 was a year of significant growth for the WCA. Key highlights include:

• Increased Program Enrollment: We enrolled 1,800 candidates in our Passport program and issued over 1,500 Credentials, reflecting the increasing adoption of WCA Skills Standards by member schools.
• Expanded Industry Partnerships: We connected with 30 school districts with woodworking programs at the ACTE CareerTech VISION conference, with the goal of increasing WCA EDUcation membership in 2025.
• Successful Industry Outreach: A dozen wood products companies joined the WCA after attending an in-house training workshop presented by WCA Board Member Bruce Spitz and myself at the International Woodworking Fair.
• New Online Training Program: Our new online training module, “Woodworking Fundamentals,” is ready for beta testing.

Celebrating Member Achievements:

• John Stearns, Career Technical Education Director and woodworking instructor at Amity High School, received the 2024 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools (HFTS) Prize for Teaching Excellence.
• Mark Smith, a dedicated woodworking instructor and Chairman of the WCA Education Committee, was honored with the prestigious 2024 Wooden Globe Educator of the Year Award by the Wood Industry Association (WIA). This marks the eighth Wooden Globe award received by a WCA member since 2008.

Congratulations to John and Mark for their well-deserved recognition!

Wishing you all a joyous holiday season!

Scott Nelson
President
Woodwork Career Alliance of North America
snelsonwca@gmail.com