Hardwood Floors December 2017/January 2018

Creating Industry Awareness through Manufacturing Day (Continued)

10,000 Baby Boomers (those born 1946 -1964) are retiring every day, and the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that Millennials (those born 1982 - 2000) will make up 50 percent of the workforce by 2018. Combine these statistics with a Forbes magazine article stating that 60 percent of new jobs will require skills held by only 20 percent of the working population, and the outlook is pre y grim. Fortunately, in partnership with its members like Middle TN Lumber, NWFA is expanding its e ort to change this trend within our industry. By working with local school districts, at a grass-roots level, signi cant strides can be made for the future growth of the wood ooring industry, and for life-long careers within it. Learn more about the education and training opportunities available to NWFA members to implement in their own communities by contacting the NWFA at education@nwfa.org. Anita Howard is Chief Operating Officer at the National Wood Flooring Association in St. Louis. She can be reached at anita.howard@nwfa.org.

serve them well in future careers,” says Bumpus. “ e more programs we can develop, the more students we can help. It’s also nice for them to see other career options available by participating in tours like this one. It has the potential to open a lot of eyes to careers they might not have known even existed, right in their own backyard.” For its part, Middle TN Lumber has commi ed to provide wood ooring training for the program, including installation, sanding, and nishing. “It’s something their program doesn’t currently address and could be a good addition to the skills they’re learning,” says Middle TN Lumber President, Bill Joyce. “We’re already talking about how we can bring our training into their classroom.” As Mr. Bumpus points out, the reality is that college is not in the cards for many students, and it’s the responsibility of educators and industries like ours to provide opportunities to learn skills that lead to good-paying jobs. And none too soon. e U.S. Social Security Administration reports that

everything he has used has been donated or salvaged from local businesses. So far, he has spent only $30 on the entire renovation, which is pre y impressive.” What Junior Dylan Williams likes most about the program is that he gets to work with his hands. “I’m not much for si ing behind a desk all day,” he says. “What’s nice about Mr. Bumpus’ class is that we have block scheduling, so we’re in his class for three hours at a time. at gives us plenty of time to learn and practice new skills.” Before enrolling in the Structural Systems/Carpentry class, Moreland and Williams learned most of what they know from family members and YouTube. “ e di erence with Mr. Bumpus’ class is that we learn how to do things the right way,” says Williams. In December, 70-plus career and technical educators from 34 counties in the middle Tennessee area will visit Mr. Bumpus and his students to see the program in action in an e ort to implement similar programs in their own schools. “ ese programs o er students hands-on skills that will

Thank you to 3M, DuraSeal, Middle TN Lumber, Primatech, and Louisiana Pacific for your participation.

Students interacting with the four hands-on flooring stations.

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