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Richard Christianson

WCA partners with Woodworking Network on crucial workforce study

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Survey results to be presented at 2021 Executive Briefing Conference.

Woodworking Network and the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA) have joined forces to conduct a ground-breaking survey exploring the woodworking industry’s top workforce development issues.

The main objectives of this benchmark study are three-fold:

  1. To assess the U.S. and Canadian woodworking industries’ challenge to find skilled production employees now and in the short-term future.
  2. To gain insights into how woodworking companies currently train their production employees.
  3. To determine what resources and programs the WCA might provide to help woodworking companies better recruit, train and retain skilled production employees.

“The challenge to hire workers and develop their skills is anything but new,” said Harry Urban, publisher of Woodworking Network. “We hope this study will not only help us better understand the extent of the woodworking industry’s skills gap but even more importantly, shed light on what types of things individual companies and the industry at large might do to close that gap.”

“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to partner with Woodworking Network on this very important research project,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “We developed woodworking skill standards and a credentialing program to provide pathways for people to pursue and grow woodworking careers. The responses to this survey will help WCA finetune current programs and develop new ones that will better suit the needs of the North American woodworking industry.”

Highlights of the study’s results will be presented by Patrick Molzahn, director of the cabinetmaking program of Madison Area Technical College during the Executive Briefing Conference, Sept. 8-10, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. The results will also be published in FDMC magazine and online at WoodworkingNetwork.com and WoodworkCareer.org.

The organizers strongly encourage all owners and managers of secondary wood product manufacturing companies to invest 10 minutes of their time to take the survey. All respondents will qualify for either or both of these discounts:

Take the Survey

 

Richard Christianson

Vero Software Raises $751 for WCA with T-Shirt Promo

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Vero Software Marketing Manager Paul Losavio is flanked by Patrick Molzahn and Scott Nelson of the WCA.

Vero Software of Tuscaloosa, AL, presented a $751 check to the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America during the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas.

Vero, whose programs include Cabinet Vision and Alphacam, was joined the Woodworking Network and the Architectural Woodwork Institute in sponsoring a limited edition “I Love Woodworking” T-shirt. The proceeds will help fund WCA programing.

“Education is absolutely vital to the success of the future of wood manufacturing,” said Paul Losavio, marketing manager for Vero. “The WCA is a great organization working to meet the educational needs of the industry and we are ecited to offer our support by raising money through this fun T-shirt fundraiser.”

“Vero Software has been a great supporter of the Woodwork Career Alliance,” said WCA President Scott Nelson. “We are very appreciative of the company’s many financial contributions to the cause of developing a skilled woodworking workforce.”