FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 1, 2005

WoodLINKS joins WMC to reach High School Students Across Canada

OTTAWA, ON - WMC and WoodLINKS recently reached an agreement to join forces so that high school students across Canada will be able to access the WoodLINKS program which certifies students for entry-level work in wood manufacturing. Under the agreement, the WoodLINKS program will become one of the suite of HR programs managed by the Wood Manufacturing Council. "The Council is proud to take responsibility for this program." said WMC Chair, Blair Tullis, "Ensuring our industry has access to quality entry-level workers is a key priority for the Council. The WoodLINKS program has demonstrated the ability to capture both industry and student interest in its previous form. Now, we are in a position to take WoodLinks to a truly national level."

WoodLINKS President, Gord Gulbranson is equally enthusiastic about the merger. "The opportunity to extend this program to students across Canada is huge. Everyday I have companies asking me where they can find someone to hire with basic skills in wood manufacturing and experience with woodworking machinery." Gulbranson's statement is supported by WMC's labour market research which shows that wood manufacturing employers are looking to hire more entry-level workers and prefer to hire students who are WoodLINKS certified.

The WoodLINKS program was created in 1996 by a group of wood products industry and education representatives to ensure that students, teachers and parents are knowledgeable about the value-added wood industry and the career opportunities it provides. The program is taught at the senior high school level and includes curriculum, learning resources and assessment tools for certification to an industry standard. "Our goal with WoodLINKS is to create local sources of high quality entry level workers for employers", explains WoodLINKS Chairman Gord Gulbranson "and at the same time increase awareness about the exceptional career opportunities that exist in our industry".

WMC plans to expand the WoodLINKS curriculum into sub-sector specialty modules. The current program focuses on the full range of the wood manufacturing industry. Feedback from both industry and educators indicates that developing the curriculum into sub-sector specific modules would better enable educators/trainers to orient their programs more directly to local employer needs while still incorporating core wood manufacturing skills relevant to the broad wood products processing industry.

New modules will include core-curriculum to teach workplace readiness skills, and eight industry sub-sectors modules including Furniture, Windows & Doors, Engineered Wood Products and more.

WMC also plans to recruit more educational institutions and industry partners to deliver the WoodLINKS program. Says Lipman, "We will ensure that schools currently offering the WoodLINKS program, primarily in BC, continue to be supported and we are going to recruit new schools to deliver the program across the country". Schools in communities where there is a significant wood industry presence, like the Greater Toronto Area, pose the most advantageous partnership potential. At least 1-2 companies (depending on the company size, more companies if possible) support each school that delivers a WoodLINKS program.

WMC is the Human Resources Sector Council for the advanced wood products manufacturing sector in Canada. Its mandate is to plan, develop and implement human resources strategies that support the long-term growth and competitiveness of the sector and meet the developmental needs of its workforce.

For more information about the WoodLINKS program or about the WMC, please contact the WMC at 613-567-5511, or visit their web site at www.wmc-cfb.ca.