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President’s Message: Evaluator Training at AWFS Fair; WIC Auction Is Music to Our Ears

The AWFS Fair in Las Vegas is now less than three months away.  WCA, with the help of our friends at the Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers, will once again offer Accredited Skill Evaluator training for woodworking educators and industry trainers during the show.

The three-hour trainings will take place at the WCA’s booth #10268 at the following times:

Wednesday, July 17
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 18
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Friday, July 19
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 20
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Only four seats are available for each session and several of them have already are already spoken for. To make sure you don’t miss out, I recommend that you register ASAP by contacting me at snelsonwca@gmail.com.

As an added inducement, WCA and AWFS are offering a SHOW SPECIAL PRICE of $150 per evaluator, which is a savings of $100. The registration fee also includes a one-year subscription for your school or company to be an EDUcation™ or MANufacturing™ member.

The training sessions will include an overview of the WCA Skill Standards and demonstrations of how to evaluate a student’s or employee’s proficiency to perform a woodworking task or setup and safely operate a machine. Those who successfully complete the training session will be certified as an Accredited Skills Evaluator and be able to reward students or employees with credential points.

WCA is also involved with three free 90-minute workshops during the show.

Patrick Molzahn, director of Madison College’s Cabinetmaking & Millwork program, will present WCA – What’s in It for Me at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17.

Patrick will also present Finding, Training & Retaining Workers at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 18.

Finally, Patrick and I will co-present Building a Training Program for Your Workers at 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 19.

A Hearty Thank You
I am very pleased to announce that the Live Auction held during the annual Woodworking Industry Conference raised $3,300 for WCA’s Education Fund. I would personally like to thank Jim Laster of Newman Machine for making and donating a beautiful ukulele and Michael Burdis of James L. Taylor Mfg. for being determined to buy Jim’s masterpiece for $3,000!

Thanks again to the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America and Woodworking Machinery Industry Association, organizers of the WIC, for supporting the WCA!

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

WMIA Plans CTE – Manufacturing Days Open House at Herrick & White

The Wood Machinery Industry Association has organized a CTE – Manufacturing Days Open House at Herrick & White of Cumberland, RI, to showcase woodworking opportunities to students. The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5.

Herrick & White operates out of a 55,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that utilizes state-of-the-art technology. The 41-years-old company is a Certified Manufacturer of the Architectural Woodwork Institute.

Chris Hofmann, chairman of the WMIA Education Committee and project manager for Colonial Saw, said he hopes this inaugural event will become the “template” for rolling out similar events supported by the WMIA and its members throughout the United States.

Greg Larson, director of the New England School of Architectural Woodwork and a member of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America’s Board of Directors, will represent the WCA at the open house.

Career and technical education teachers, students and parents are invited to attend the event.

To learn more about the participating at the event, including limited vendor display space, contact Hofmann at chofmann@csaw.com,