Free and highly-discounted products more than cover the annual fee for high school and post-secondary woodworking programs to belong to the Woodwork Career Alliance.There are many good reasons for high school and post-secondary woodworking programs to become EDUcation™ members of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America.
Most importantly, being affiliated with the WCA’s industry-recognized credentialing program adds credibility to the school’s woodshop curriculum as aspiring to professional standards. In addition, instructors gain access to a treasure trove of training tools including the WCA Woodworking Skill Standards, how-to videos, past SkillsUSA project plans and other online resources. EDU-member instructors also can apply for financial support and scholarships to benefit their students and personal development. In case those benefits are not compelling enough to justify the modest annual $250 investment for WCA EDUcation membership, then consider the value of the WCA Essentials™ Benefits Package. It more than outweighs the cost to join. “The Essentials Benefits Package offers useful resources for any woodworking program,” said Patrick Molzahn, treasurer of the WCA and director of the cabinetmaking and millwork program at Madison Area Technical College of Madison, WI. “From consumables such as screws, glue, and veneer, to access to exclusive online information from Taunton Press and training from Stiles Machinery, the package easily offers more value than the cost of the annual membership.” Tom Hillstead and Mark Smith are just two instructors of WCA EDUcation schools who appreciate receiving the free and discounted products to benefit their programs. “Being on a tight budget, every little bit helps,” said Hillstead, cabinetmaking instructor at St. Paul College of St. Paul, MN. “We always receive products that we can use in our shop. The donation packages are a great benefit to our program and more than worth the annual WCA membership cost.” “The support our program receives from industry suppliers through the WCA has been invaluable,” said Smith, industrial technology teacher at Reed-Cutler High School of Braidwood, IL. “We put to use everything that is supplied to enhance the curriculum we are delivering. Though the Reed-Custer school district has been very supportive, my program always needs items that are beyond what the budget can support. The support my program has received over the years from industry has made all the difference.” The Essentials Benefit Package being offered to WCA EDUcation members for the 2018-19 school year includes:
For more information about becoming a WCA Essentials Benefit Package donor, contact Scott Nelson, WCA president, at 402-610-6043 or snelsonwca@gmail.com. About the Woodwork Career Alliance The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The WCA’s mission is to develop and administer a unified set of Skill Standards for the wood products industry. Since 2011, WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 240 woodworking machine operations. In addition, WCA has issued over 1,800 credentials, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of woodworking skill achievements. More than 100 high schools and post-secondary schools throughout North America are WCA EDUcation™ members. To learn more about the WCA and how to get involved with its programs, including sponsorship opportunities, visit WoodworkCareer.org.
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ETSC 125 Cordless Hybrid Sander and CT Dust Extractor Technology are among Editors’ Best Tools of the YearFestool has just won two This Old House (TOH) Top 20 Best Tools of the Year awards. Both the ETSC 125 Cordless Hybrid Sander and CT Dust Extractor Bluetooth® Module with Remote Control were chosen by TOH as among this year’s 20 honorees and will appear in the January/February issue of This Old House magazine. Curated by This Old Housemagazine’s editors after months of research, review, testing, and input from industry pros, The TOH Top 20 Best Tools of the Year list includes products that stand out for their innovative and practical solutions to everyday problems. In naming the ETSC 125 Cordless Hybrid Sander to the TOH Top 20 Tools list, This Old House stated that, “Its 18-volt battery can power a 5-inch disk for 30 minutes on a single charge. For longer run times, just plug in the corded adapter. The pad spins at 10,000 rpm with tiny 2-millimeter orbits, perfect for smoothing finishes.” The ETSC 125 Cordless Sander lets users transition from corded to cordless without compromising performance and is balanced with a unique ergonomic battery for optimum performance and handling. For the CT Dust Extractor Bluetooth® Module with Remote Control, TOH editors said, “With this two-piece upgrade kit, a Festool CT-model dust extractor automatically turns on when you fire up a Bluetooth-compatible cordless (Festool) tool. But even if you’re using a noncompatible cordless tool, you can still operate the CT vac remotely with the new push-button module fitted on the hose.” The combination of Bluetooth® module on the CT Dust Extractor and remote control on the extractor hose allows users to simply start the dust extraction from the hose, without having to walk back to the extractor itself. The Bluetooth® module on the CT Dust Extractor communicates with the Festool Bluetooth® battery packs on its cordless tools. Allowing for automatic tool starts even when working without power cords. “We are extremely pleased about the recognition from This Old House”, says Aaron Brading, Chief Sales Officer at Festool USA. “At Festool, everything we design and manufacture is focused on providing craftspeople with a better, more efficient way to work. About This Old House This Old House Ventures, LLC is America’s No. 1 multi-platform home-enthusiast brand, providing trusted information and expert advice through its award-winning television shows, This Old House and Ask This Old House, its highly regarded and award-winning This Old House magazine, and its inspiration- and information-driven digital properties, including thisoldhouse.com and house.one. Established as This Old House Ventures, LLC, the company is headquartered in Stamford, CT, with offices in New York, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Toronto, and Concord, MA. About Festool USA Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is known for its innovative, precision-engineered power tool solutions. Based in Lebanon, IN, Festool USA offers a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance. For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com or www.festoolcanada.com. Elias Woodwork is excited to announce the official launch of their new Access Now online ordering system. This unique online ordering portal will allow customers to log in anytime from anywhere and access customized quotes, place orders, view invoices and track shipments. Access Now offers customers a live portal into their Elias Woodwork account with insider access to products and services saving them a significant amount of time by cutting out the middle man. You no longer have to wait for a quote and can access pricing any time. This will expedite your ability to submit quotes to your customers at a moment’s notice and ahead of the competition. Access now guides you through the process of choosing your product line and configuring your products. You are able to see your cost when you configure your items and will update live when making changes. If you have a large door order, you are able to import your door sizes from a CSV file or make multiple door entries quickly and effortlessly using Access Now features. If you have a favorite door style or product configuration that you know you will want to order again in the future, you can save your configuration to your favorites and add it to your quote in the future for even faster results. At any time you can access and download your quotes with your most recent ones showing up first in your portal. However, you can filter them by column or combinations of columns simply by adding a filter value like date, total, customer reference or PO number. When you are ready to place your order, you can submit your quote and manage your payments at any time without having to wait for business hours. After which, you can track your shipments and access your invoices whenever you need to. You can also filter your shipments or invoices similarly to your quotes, making it easier and faster to find what you are looking for. Access Now allows you to manage your entire account online anytime, from anywhere! Combined with Elias Woodwork’s competitive pricing and vast product selection, this tool will provide industry professionals with a significant competitive advantage in their marketplace. Call a Customer Service Specialist to get your account set up and take advantage of instant quoting and ordering today! Elias Woodwork Toll Free: 1-800-665-0623 Email: sales@eliaswoodwork.com Web: www.eliaswoodwork.com  Biesse Group announces the launch of our NEW Careers Portal to simplify the way candidates look for available positions within the company. From entry level to skilled professional, the Careers Portal displays information on positions available at the company's headquarters in Pesaro, Italy as well as their 39 subsidiaries around the world. The user interface is easy to navigate and offers filters giving each candidate the ability to customize their search by country, language and job function, showing all open positions that match their criteria. Being a part of the Biesse Group team means belonging to a dynamic, multi-cultural and stimulating working environment, where strong emphasis is placed on the development of our people as a key factor in achieving successful results. Recent graduates to senior level professionals looking for new challenges can find exciting opportunities within the company's global team at our many locations around the world. Visit the Biesse Group Careers Portal and see what they have to offer! Link To Careers Portal: https://career2.successfactors.eu/career?company=biessespa Biesse Group Biesse Group is a multinational leader in the technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic and metal. It designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems and software for the producers of furniture, door/window frames, components for the construction, ship-building and aerospace industries. It invests on average 14 million Euros per year in R&D, boasting over 200 registered patents. It works via 8 industrial sites, 30 branches, 300 agents and selected resellers, exporting 88% of its production. Its customers include some of the most prestigious names of Italian and international design. Founded in Pesaro in 1969, by Giancarlo Selci, the company has been listed on the Stock Exchange (STAR segment) since June 2001. It now counts 2800 employees throughout the world.  Stiles recently unveiled a new program designed to raise up the next generation of leaders in the manufacturing industry. The new Emerging Leader Program, which will focus on equipping a recent college graduate with the knowledge and experience necessary to jumpstart their career, will consist of one year of hands-on training and development both nationally and internationally alongside some of the best and brightest in the industry. The year-long program will begin at Stiles’ headquarters in Grand Rapids, MI with three months of professional training and job shadowing with industry experts, followed by three months of training at one of HOMAG’s global locations in Germany, Poland or China. This cycle will be repeated with three months back in the United States and an additional three months overseas, for a total of one year of real-life industry experience with a world-leading company. The selected candidate will be responsible for gaining an in-depth knowledge of the products and services offered by Stiles Machinery and HOMAG to further the success of the organization and the industry. When the program comes to an end, the individual will have the opportunity to relocate throughout the United States to begin a full-time job with a focus on sales and customer relations for Stiles Machinery. “We are excited to embark upon this unique journey with the next generation of industry leaders and look forward to partnering with them to develop a fulfilling career path at Stiles,” says Elizabeth Williams, Corporate Human Resources Manager at Stiles. Employee benefits will also be made available to participants of the Emerging Leader Program including medical, dental, vision, 401K, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, housing accommodations and more. Qualified candidates will have a strong sense of adventure with a serious interest in a customer-facing career in the manufacturing industry. They should also be pursuing their Bachelors or Masters degree in Business, International Business, Engineering, Marketing, Communications, or a related field, with an expected graduation date in December 2018 or Spring 2019. For more information about Stiles Emerging Leader Program, visit www.joinstiles.com/elp About Stiles Machinery As the industry’s leading provider of advanced manufacturing solutions, Stiles has been helping manufacturers throughout North America increase their efficiency and productivity for over 50 years. With world-class machinery backed by an experienced and responsive support team, extensive parts inventory, unique upgrade capabilities and a nationally accredited education and training program, Stiles offers solutions that equip companies for success in every area of their business. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stiles has regional offices in High Point, North Carolina; Bristol, Pennsylvania; Coppell, Texas; and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Stiles is a proud member of the HOMAG Group, a global leader in the production of industrial manufacturing machinery. For one week, beginning on Black Friday, November 23rd, through Friday, November 30th, owners of other desktop-type CNC tools can “trade-up” their tool to a new ShopBot Desktop, Desktop MAX, or larger ShopBot Gantry CNC tool. ShopBot will issue credits towards a tool purchase based on the make and model of the tool being traded-in. Included with each trade-up purchase is a free 2-Day Basic Training session, held at ShopBot’s Durham, North Carolina facility.
“We were inspired to offer a ‘trade-up’ promotion after listening to customers who have come to ShopBot looking for a professional grade, well-supported, reliable tool – after being disappointed and frustrated with other brands of CNC tools they have purchased,” says ShopBot’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Jeanne Taylor. “Many of these tools often lack rigidity – making clean and consistent cuts almost impossible – and come with very little support and training,” Taylor adds. CNC tool owners interested in participating can visit the ShopBot Tools website and complete an online form. They will then be asked to ship the tool they are trading-in to ShopBot Tools by December 15, 2018 and will receive a credit to use towards the purchase of a ShopBot tool before December 31, 2018. ShopBot Tools Founder and CEO, Ted Hall, recently published an article highlighting the key differences of ShopBot Desktop model tools, which are engineered, manufactured, sold, and supported in Durham, North Carolina, to CNC tools imported from China and sold through resellers in the US. In his article, “All Desktop CNCs Are Not Created Equal,” posted on the ShopBot website, Hall says, “We thought it helpful to directly compare a few of the characteristics, capabilities, and features of these tools (Chinese imports) to the ShopBot Desktop and Desktop MAX CNCs.” Some of the more telling differences ShopBot tools offer are a solid aluminum frame that holds significant rigidity over time, a dual-drive gantry that keeps the tool moving evenly and prevents racking, free tech support, and has ShopBot operating system software and electronics that are always available and up-to-date. “In this case, buy American because you get more for your money,” says Hall. “Our tools offer a stronger design that provides greater efficiency and more extensive features. You are buying more tool. You are buying the capability, configurability, agility, and support system to best accomplish your work and to make you productive.” ShopBot wants to expand the option of ShopBot CNC tool ownership to those who have previously purchased an import tool or who want to upgrade their current ShopBot tool to a larger model ShopBot tool. ShopBot’s Black Friday “Trade-Up” promotion will provide the opportunity to get into a ShopBot with a little added incentive of earning credit for their trade-in tool. Visit the ShopBot website: https://support.shopbottools.com/blackfriday for more information and to complete the “trade-up” form. Promotion begins on Black Friday, November 23, 2018. ABOUT SHOPBOT ShopBot Tools celebrated its 20th year in 2016, continuing to live their mission of making digital fabrication tools widely accessible and user-friendly. ShopBot's CNC routers deliver the power, precision, and reliability of tools traditionally costing thousands of dollars more. ShopBot is one of the largest producers of digital fabrication equipment for small-to-mid sized manufacturing, DIY, and education markets. The company also provides unparalleled support for its user community with forums, production support services, and specialized training classes. All ShopBot tools are designed, built in and supported from ShopBot's Durham, NC, headquarters. To read Ted Hall’s article “All Desktop CNCs Are Not Created Equal” in its entirety, visit our website: http://www.shopbotblog.com/2018/10/tale-two-desktops/ WalzCraft's Outside Edge Molding add depth and interest to Veneered Slab Doors while maintaining a Contemporary, Bespoke design. Outside Edge Moldings are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to help personalize these made to order cabinet doors. WalzCraft manufactures custom cabinet doors, drawer fronts, dovetail drawer boxes, cabinet components and millwork for custom cabinetmakers and cabinet refacers throughout the United States and Canada. Founded in 1982, WalzCraft has built a reputation for producing a High-quality product, at a competitive price, with a short delivery cycle, while offering a vast array of options from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located at 2600 Hemstock Street in La Crosse, WI. http://walzcraft.com  |
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