Industry Skill Standards Unveiled to Industry Leaders at AWFS Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Workplace safety standards, CARB developments, educational initiatives and the new Woodworking Industry Skill Standards were among the items discussed by industry leaders at the Woodworking Industry Leadership Forum (WILF), held Tuesday, the day before the opening of the AWFS Vegas Fair. Leaders from several industry associations participated.

Arguably the most exciting report came from Duane Griffiths of Stiles Education Center, speaking on behalf of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America, which has been working on development of woodwork manufacturing skill standards for the past two years. The group has completed initial standards on 28 tools, which will be unveiled in a press conference Friday. It has written a 130-page book covering the standards and will conduct a one-year pilot study to gather industry feedback about the initial effort.

Companies that participated in a pre-pilot program to assist with development of the standards thus far provided positive feedback regarding their usefulness and the ease with which they could be used in the work place, Griffiths said. WCANA now seeks additional companies to participate in the current pilot program to take the standards to the next level. Feedback will be used to produce a complete First Edition in 2010.

Anyone interested in helping with the next phase of development or more information should visit woodworkcareer.org, and listen to Griffiths describe what’s contained in the book that is available now in the video above.

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