AWFS Fair hotel bookings double
AWFS Vegas Fair offers exhibitor incentives
LAS VEGAS - The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers says the AWFS Fair 2011, running July 20-23 in Las Vegas, has already completely sold out four hotel blocks, with room reservations running at double the pace of the last show, held in 2009.  To encourage early booking, AWFS Fair hotels are guaranteeing best rates available at the time of the show, regardless of rate at the time of reservations. 

AWFS Fair, the largest U.S. woodworking industry show this year, will debut “The Campus,” an area on the show floor focusing on developing or showcasing the skills of woodworkers.

The Campus will have three distinct areas, all focused on industry skills and training opportunities:
• A WorldSkills Cabinetmaking competition
The smartSHOP, a fully operational cabinet shop
• The Woodwork Career Alliance professional evaluations.

WorldSkills   Premiering at the AWFS Fair will be the WorldSkills Cabinetmaking Qualifying Trial. WorldSkills is an international career technical education training organization. Students from countries around the world compete for gold medals.

SkillsUSA is the authorized national organization that selects and determines the competitors that will represent the U.S. at WorldSkills Qualifying Trial will determine which competitors will compete in WorldSkills Leipzig (Germany) in 2013. The competition will take place for three days during the AWFS Fair, starting Wednesday. Attendees can watch students build projects showcasing their cabinet construction and woodworking skills.

“SkillsUSA is an important industry education organization and we are pleased to partner with them on such an exciting event,” AWFS Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone, said. “Our intent is to increase awareness of SkillsUSA among our exhibitors and attendees and emphasize the importance of skilled trades to the future of the industry.”

Two students will vy for the chance to represent the U.S. at WorldSkills 2013: SkillsUSA national top-scoring competitor Daniel Berrios, from Bethlehem Vo-Tech School in Bethlehem, PA, the high school gold medal winner from 2010; and a second contestant, the winner of the 2011 cabinetmaking contest at the National Leadership and Skills Conference, June 19-24 in Kansas City, MO.

“The concept of hosting the WorldSkills Cabinetmaking Qualifying Trial at AWFS®Fair is perfectly aligned with our organizational vision and mission,” said Ada Kranenberg, SkillsUSA World Team Official Delegate. “We promote skilled trade careers for students and this event will give the students the opportunity to learn more about woodworking. It will also allow the woodworking industry to see first-hand how hard-working, dedicated and well-trained SkillsUSA students -- future industry employees and leaders -- are.”

Show information and registration is available at the AWFS®Fair website. Hotel room information for the AWFS Fair woodworking show is here>>

Read continuous reporting on AWFS at woodworkingnetwork.com

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