July 19

Clear Career Paths: Creating Opportunities for Advancement in the Woodworking Industry

On this episode of Verify In Field Podcast, Jacob Edmond sits down with Mark Smith to discuss the misconceptions surrounding trades, specifically in the woodworking industry. Mark highlights the negative mindset surrounding working as a cabinet maker and emphasizes that the skills gap extends beyond entry-level labor. He believes that gaining hands-on experience in the trades is crucial for higher leadership positions.

Mark also shares his experience teaching at smaller and larger schools, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. He talks about the importance of creating clear career paths and opportunities for individuals to move up from entry-level positions in both the education system and the industry.

The conversation delves into the disconnect between industry and education, and the need for both to change their approach in attracting younger talent. Mark shares his observations of older workers in the woodworking industry, and the decline of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in high schools over the past 40 years.

They discuss the impact of the focus on college readiness and the decline of CTE programs, as well as the skills gap caused by retiring baby boomers. Mark also shares the success of his own program, which integrates computer integrated manufacturing and offers dual credit with a community college.

The episode concludes with a discussion on networking and marketing efforts to attract industry partnerships and job opportunities for students. Mark’s program has received media coverage and attracted the interest of numerous companies looking to hire their students.

Be sure to tune in to this episode of Verify In Field Podcast to learn more about the misconceptions surrounding trades, the importance of hands-on experience, and the efforts being made to bridge the gap between industry and education.

About Our Guest:

Mark Smith is a third-generation teacher, with both of his parents and several other family members being involved in education. Growing up, Mark was particularly inspired by his high school industrial arts teacher, John Hart, who was recognized as Teacher of the Year multiple times. Spending most of his senior year in Mr. Hart’s lab, Mark developed a love for teaching. However, when it came time to choose a major in college, Mark was initially unsure of his path. It was his parents who suggested that he consider becoming a teacher, reminding him of his talent and passion for industrial arts. Taking their advice, Mark declared a major in education and, during his student teaching experience, he reaffirmed his decision. One aspect that surprised Mark about teaching was how deeply he cared for his students, something that he was not prepared for during his college years. Throughout his teaching career, Mark has remained dedicated to helping his students and making a difference in their lives.

Listen to the Full Episode:

What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode:

  • The woodworking and trades industry is often misunderstood and undervalued, leading to a skills gap in skilled leadership and technical roles.
  • Gaining hands-on experience in the trades is crucial for career advancement and can lead to higher leadership positions in the industry.
  • Both the education system and industry need to collaborate in creating clear career paths and opportunities for individuals to move up from entry-level positions.
  • A smaller school environment can provide more accessible and involved administration, creating a closer relationship between teachers and administrators.
  • Larger schools may struggle to know teachers personally and be aware of their work and outside activities.
  • High school counselors at larger schools may not be informed about potential career opportunities outside of the traditional college path.
  • There is a disconnect between industry and education, and both need to change their approach to attract younger talent.
  • The decline of career and technical education (CTE) programs over the past 40 years has resulted in high school students being unaware of trade opportunities.
  • The skills gap in the woodworking industry is partly due to baby boomers retiring and leaving job openings.
  • Successful networking and marketing efforts can help CTE programs gain industry partnerships, media coverage, and in-kind donations, ultimately benefiting the students and program’s success.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

  • The Decline of CTE Programs in High Schools: “For the last 40 years, the United States has slowly been removing CTE type programs from high schools. When I was in high school, there was an estimated 50,000 CTE programs. Now if you’re lucky, there are about 5,000.”— Mark Smith
  • How Networking and Social Media Transformed My Teaching Career: “Industry has no idea what’s going on in your school… I would send out these emails and the trade journals began picking these things up and writing articles about my program, and things just began to build as a giant snowball began building and rolling down the mountain.”— Mark Smith
  • Getting Involved at Local Schools: “Just show up. Just show up at a school and continue showing up day a week, month after month, or year after year. Eventually, things are going to start happening in your favor because you’re present.”— Mark Smith

Resources:

  • Jacob Edmond: LinkedIn
  • Mark Smith: LinkedIn
  • Reed Custer High School Industrial Technology: https://rchsit.weebly.com/

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