Born from the idea it’s essential to give teachers and administrators first-hand experience in business and industry, the Teacher in Industry project equips them to create contextual and authentic learning experiences for students. Local business and industry officials frequently report the younger workforce continues to lack essential workplace readiness skills, particularly skills in dependability, communication and teamwork.
This inaugural Teacher in Industry program included five educators from the school system (middle and high schools) along with American Woodmark participants to guide this five-day immersion event.
Day one included cultural training, a visit to a local Design Center and time with the Customer Care team. Days two and three included tours of the Orange, South Branch and Allegany plants to see how AWC products come to life. Another day was spent at the Northeast Service Center to understand the life cycle from the winning the initial business to design, pricing and order entry. The group was also able to see the finished cabinets in new homes and learn about delivery, installation, field support and final preparation for builders and consumers. The final day rounded out the week with time spent in each functional area of the organization including Human Resources, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain and Engineering. The balance of the last day was reflecting on the program and creating a pathway to incorporate learnings into their classroom setting.
