Posts

Richard Christianson

President’s Message: Reasons to Celebrate

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The Woodwork Career Alliance ended the first six months of 2022 by setting a new threshold of candidates entering our Passport credentialing program, a whopping 892 new enrollees. We also awarded a record 852 credentials to students and professional woodworkers during the first half of the year. I am hopeful this is a tread that will continue because the woodworking industry needs qualified workers more than ever.

Greg Heuer

On a personal note, it is with great pride that I announce that the WCA Board of Directors has bestowed greatly-deserved recognition to one of our founding executives, who was a major contributing author to the WCA Manufacturing Skill Standards. Our education fund is being named “The Greg Heuer EDUcation Scholarship Fund.” Greg is retiring from WCA at the end of this year and his expertise will be sorely missed. Please join me in thanking Greg for all the many things he has done for our industry!

The first donation to the newly named fund was a $1,000 check from Greg and his wife, Linda, in the name of Greg’s mentor, teacher, fellow woodworker and father, Al Heuer. The second donation of $1,500 we received was from the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) and Wood Manufacturers of America (WMMA) stemming from a fundraiser held during the Woodworking Industry Conference in May. Thank you Greg and Linda! Thank you WMIA and WMMA!

Speaking of fundraisers, the International Woodworking Fair is organizing a silent auction with net proceeds benefitting the WCA. Dozens of items, including helmets signed by NFL starts Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, and a guitar signed by rock legend Mick Jagger, are on the auction block. If you’re going to IWF, be sure to stop by  booth C2123 to see all of the bid items. Even if you are not attending the show this year, you can still participate in the auction online at expobid.co.

Also at IWF next week, WCA Board Member Bruce Spitz and I will present a three-hour workshop, “Building a Training Program for Your Workers.” The program is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Lastly, I would like to invite all to stop by our IWF boooth #A10809. We enjoy this opportunity to engage in one-on-one discussions with wood products manufacturers about how the WCA can help you find employees and develop your own training programs.

SEE YOU THERE!!

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

Richard Christianson

President’s Message – Passport Credentialing Program Going Gangbusters

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WCA is truly experiencing a breakout year for new candidates entering our Passport credentialing program!

As of early May, we have issued Passports to over 750 new candidates. In addition, we have already awarded 336 credentials to students and professional woodworkers.

I believe the video we produced with AWFS and AWI last year has really helped our industry attract young people into the woodworking profession and made parents aware of all the viable careers in the secondary wood processing industry.

video
play-sharp-fill

Speaking of young woodworkers, the SkillsUSA National Cabinetmaking competition is just around the corner. It will be held June 20-24 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The AWI and WCA are among the proud partners of this annual event. If you have a chance to attend, so so. I guarantee that you will be totally amazed by the skills demonstrated by students of all levels.

Speaking of the Georgia World Congress Center, IWF 2022 is just around the corner. WCA Board Member Bruce Spitz and I will present a three-hour nuts-and-bolts workshop focused on helping woodworking companies develop in-house training programs.

The session, “Building a Training Program for Your Workers,” will be led by Scott Nelson, president of the WCA, and Bruce Spitz, former owner of Classic Millwork & Products and a member of the WCA Board of Directors. It is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

We’ll also be on hand at the WCA’s booth #10946. Stop by and learn more about our nationally-recognized Passport credentialing system, Woodworking Skill Standards, and opportunities to help us develop and grow a skilled woodworking workforce.

I hope to see you there!

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

Richard Christianson

Woodwork Career Alliance to Host How-to Train Woodworkers Workshop at IWF

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Scott Neslon, left, and Bruce Spitz will present “Building a Training Program for Your Workers” at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta.

NELLYSFORD, Va. – Two representatives of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA) will present a nuts-and-bolts workshop focused on helping woodworking companies develop effective in-house training programs at the 2022 International Woodworking Fair.

The session, “Building a Training Program for Your Workers,” will be led by Scott Nelson, president of the WCA, and Bruce Spitz, former owner of Classic Millwork & Products and a member of the WCA Board of Directors. It is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

During the workshop, attendees will receive guidance for creating the first-year training template for new hires based on their production shop’s unique needs and incorporating the WCA Skill Standards.

They will also learn how to:
— Develop a pre-hire test required for job candidates before employment;

— Identify the knowledge base skills and machine skills required in the first two years of a hire’s employment;

— Identify the company’s requirements to be accomplished in 30, 60, 90 days, six months, and end of 1 year;

— Develop a method of training that is best suited for their company and create standard operating procedures to facilitate the training program; and

— Access quality training resources.

Attendees of this program are eligible for a $100 discount on a one-year MANufacturing™ membership of the WCA, a 40% savings.

“According to a workforce study we helped conduct last year, 40 percent of woodworking companies have no established formal training program for their production workers. Most companies rely on one-on-one mentorship, which can detract from production output,” Nelson said. “Considering how challenging it is to find and retain qualified workers, it really is essential that companies develop in-house training programs tailored to their specific requirements to minimize hiring headaches and hiccups on the shop floor.”

Register to attend this session, WRK2, at IWFAtlanta.com.

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 4,000 Passport credentials, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of woodworking skill achievements. More than 150 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.