Supporting High School Woodworking Programs in Communities Across Canada
WoodLINKS was created with the objective of developing a certification program which would facilitate collaboration with high schools to train more skilled entry level workers for the wood industry. Another key objective of the program is to engage students interested in hands-on educational pathways including the trades. WoodLINKS encourages students to consider entering woodworking careers (either directly or through further education) and to enter into the sector workforce after they graduate from high school.
WoodLINKS was developed in the early 1990s as a partnership between industry and high school educators in BC. WMC took ownership of the program in 2006 and since that time, has undertaken several WoodLINKS-related initiatives, including an initial project to revamp the core curriculum and create the sub-sector modules. The core curriculum contains the fundamentals for entry-level employment in woodworking such as fundamental woodworking, safety, essential skills and technical skills. A major component of the course focuses on work readiness skills, core wood manufacturing skills and career exploration. Sub-sector modules allow schools to tailor their program to the local industry. The sub-sector module is a project in one of ten product-specific areas, such as cabinets and millwork, windows and doors, fine woodworking, or manufactured housing.
The WoodLINKS material can be aligned with the ministry-approved curriculum in most provinces. The program outlines the entry-level skills and knowledge students need to successfully pursue a career in wood manufacturing. It also provides teachers with the necessary, proven resources and assessment tools to ensure their students start out on the right path. WoodLINKS-certified graduates are equipped to either enter the workforce directly, enter a post-secondary woodworking program, or start an apprenticeship.
Providing Resources to Develop the Future Generation of Skilled Workers
A valued partnership between education and industry, WoodLINKS provides an industry-educator developed high school curriculum that leads to woodworking certification. WoodLINKS graduates are highly sought after in the industry, and have the passion and drive to be immensely successful in their careers.
COVID-19 Update
ONLINE WOODLINKS TEACHING MATERIALS
We are pleased to offer school boards and woodworking teachers across Canada access to the Wood Manufacturing Council’s WoodLINKS program materials on-line. WoodLINKS is primarily a program that connects education and industry. It is a high school curriculum for woodworking that can lead to industry-recognized certification of graduates.
During the challenges posed by the COVID- 19 virus and the resulting school closures, where more on-line teaching is required, we have created this password protected area where instructors can get access to the Core and the Sub-Sector Module Curriculum documents, as well as all the chapters in our WoodLINKS Study Guides (reference binder). Our wood-specific Essential Skills materials offer practical questions (along with answers and rationale) that you can use with your students as well.
The WoodLINKS Core Curriculum contains the fundamentals for entry-level employment in the advanced wood manufacturing industry such as fundamental woodworking, safety, essential skills and technical skills. A major component of the course also focuses on work readiness skills and career exploration activities. The WoodLINKS Sub-Sector Modules allow schools to tailor their program to the local industry, or to their specific program. The Sub-Sector Module is a project in one of 10 product-specific areas, including cabinets and millwork, panel products, furniture, manufactured housing, sawmilling, windows and doors and fine woodworking.
For more information or assistance, please contact Lynn MacKinlay, President, Wood Manufacturing Council, lmackinlay@wmc-cfb.ca.
Authorized WoodLINKS teachers can access the curriculum and reference materials here, using your participant password.
