ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers and its Southern California industry-education chapter Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM) have produced a video showcasing roles and processes involved in professional woodworking.

The video was published on October 2 for “MFG Day” (Manufacturing Day), a national initiative established by the National Association of Manufacturers to highlight careers in manufacturing for students.

The nearly six-minute video, intended to introduce students to career pathways in the wood industry, features the team at Architectural Woodworking Co., Los Angeles.

“We were happy to open our facility up for this video,” says Saúl Martín, AWC vice president of manufacturing. “During this pandemic, it is more important than ever to provide students with information about wood industry careers through online learning resources and video content.”

SWM also hosted three, 30-minute live Zoom Q&A sessions for woodworking students with industry professionals on October 2. More than 150 attendees participated in the Q&A sessions, however many of the “attendees” represented full classrooms in areas of the country where in-person learning is now open, so it is estimated that hundreds of students nationwide watched the live sessions.

In addition to Martín from AWC, different industry guests joined for each session: Jim Irving of Drawer Box Specialties, Lucía Morales of Stiles Machinery, and Lee Schuette of Blum, Inc. Each session varied; students were encouraged to complete a questionnaire and submit questions prior to the sessions, so different student questions were answered during each of the sessions.

The video and Q&A session recordings are available here: https://www.woodindustryed.org/mfg-day-2020/

Most MFG Day events are virtual this year. Drawer Box Specialties and Weinig-Holz-Her are offering a virtual tour and live Q&A session for local schools. See: https://creatorswanted.org

For more information about SWM or industry-education opportunities, contact Adam Kessler at [email protected]