Michael Bowman, CPC, PE, LEED Green Associate
Glendali Rodriguez, AIA, NCARB
Outline
 Background- Partners & filling a need
 Goals of the program
 Implementation
 Findings
 Future plans
 Best Practices
Background – Partners
 North American Wholesale Lumber Association
(NAWLA)
 Trade Association – over 650 businesses in North
America
 NAWLA Education Foundation (NEF)
 “…solely dedicated to educating, inspiring, and
planting a new generation of leaders throughout
our industry.”
Background – Partners
 Dovetail Partners, INC.
 Nonprofit organization hired as a consultant by
NEF to develop the program.
 University of Wisconsin - Stout
 A comprehensive, career focused polytechnic
University.
Background – The Need
 Traditional lumber association management
 Degree in Forestry
 Work up through lumber trade
 Business background outside of lumber
 Future shortfall due to retirements
 “A need for young educated individuals, with an
interest in lumber, who will spark new ideas for better
sales, marketing, product design and distribution.”
Background – Development
 NEF hired Dovetail in 2010 to develop the plan
 3-year pilot program
 Four locations across the United States
 Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin
 First running in Spring 2011 failed
 UW-Stout held the first true offering
Background – Development
 UW-Stout
 Comprehensive, career focused polytechnic
 Close proximity to major lumber industry in US
 Close proximity to Dovetail Partners (Minneapolis,
MN.) and NAWLA headquarters (Chicago, IL.)
 First contact in Spring 2011
Goals of the Program
 Overall goal: Get 15-20 students from variety of
disciplines interested in career opportunities with
NAWLA associated companies.
 Other goals
 Test viability of the program & adjust as
necessary
 Place students in internships
 Seeking long-term results to fill management
level positions
Implementation - Audience
 Majors at Stout that NEF was interested in
 Applied Science (STEM)
 Biology (STEM)
 Business
 Construction (STEM)
 Engineering Technology (STEM)
 Manufacturing Engineering (STEM)
 Packaging (STEM)
 Supply Chain Management
Implementation - Timeline
 Initial Contact – Spring 2011
 Develop contacts in different majors at UW-Stout –
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Summer 2011
Develop curriculum and run through approval processes –
Summer / Fall 2011
Advertise to students – Fall 2011
Solicit guest speakers – Fall 2011
Course runs 1-week during Winterm 2012 (January)
Postings for internships – Spring 2012
Students working internships – Summer 2012
Implementation - Curriculum
 Five Units of Material
 Introduction to Forestry
 The Business of Lumber
 Responsible Materials
 Green Building
 Ecosystem Markets
 Field Trips
 Bjornson Education – Recreation Center
 Anderson Windows
 Weekes Forest Products
 Viking Forest Products
 Silverwood Park Visitor’s Center & Bethel University
 Career Panel
Implementation - Presenters
 Need for expertise in areas listed, with a lumber spin
on it!
 UW-Stout instructor expertise
 8 faculty from 5 disciplines
 NAWLA member company representatives
 Topical content expertise from local representatives
 Career Panel
Implementation- Presenters
 With overall curriculum themes set, goal was to plug
in expertise from Stout and NAWLA fill in the rest
 Long term goal: Stout faculty fully instruct the course
 Construction Department Chair & Program Director
marketed the course across programs & departments
 Provided NAWLA with list of expertise and topics
Implementation- Presenters
 NAWLA finalized the schedule; determining presenter
dates/times
 At Stout, Winterm instructor funding is provided
through Provost office; rates per credit and rank of
instructor
 Construction Department Chair, worked with College
Budget Officer. Available funds divided amongst the
faculty recruited and number of sessions instructed
Implementation- Presenters
 Presenter expectations:
 Half day instruction per session
 Lecture/activity materials provided in advance and
posted on course management system
 Winterm Contracts secured/completed through
“home” department- Department of Construction
Findings
 Success!
 Students enjoyed the course – 23 students in total
 Presenters enjoyed the course
 NEF and Dovetail were pleased
 Career Panel was pleased
 One Stout student succeeded in securing an internship
 Interesting article written by one student in Stoutonia
 Program will continue to run
Future Plans
 Different time frame
 Spring / early summer
 Attract a more diverse student population
 Advertising earlier and better
 NAWLA to attend Stout career fair in October
 Continue running in other three locations as well
 Secure more internships from NAWLA companies
Best Practices
 Constant Dialogue with planning team throughout
 Collection of presenter materials- deadline
 Pre-course meeting(s) of all presenters
 Assure course content flows/presented in cohesive manner
 Instructor dialogue/awareness of other presentations
 Grading system
 Ideal would be pass/fail based on attendance and completion; but
was not an option
 Instructors to provide activity and assure grading is complete and
posted in timely manner
 Evaluation instrument for all participants
Acknowledgments
 NAWLA
 Gary Vitale
 Dovetail Partners
 Sarah Stai, PhD, CE, LEED AP
 Jim Bowyer
 UW-Stout
 STEM College
 Numerous Presenters
 Career Services office
Question and Answer
THANK YOU!