Second-year students in Conestoga’s Woodworking Technology program presented projects at a showcase on August 18 to award Best in Manufactured Product.
Woodworking Technology student Jacob Cressman was awarded Best in Manufactured Product for a hall table crafted from cherry and walnut veneer at the program’s annual showcase event on August 18.
The event was held at the college’s Woodworking Centre of Ontario at the Kitchener - Doon campus and open to the Conestoga community, including family, friends, and industry partners. Faculty judged projects based on design and development, craftsmanship, and product presentation.
Jacob Cressman was awarded top honour for a hall table crafted from cherry and walnut veneer. The piece features inset cabinet doors and drawers flush with the frame to create a flat front surface. Cressman said he was inspired to modify a design he found online when researching for his project and that ensuring the gaps in the piece were even and symmetrical presented a challenge.
With the Best in Manufactured Project award, Cressman received a monetary prize of $350. Second place and a prize of $250 was awarded to Aiden Barker for a Spider Cocktail Cabinet crafted from solid and veneer maple. Mackenzie Sharp placed third with a display cabinet made from white ash and received $150. The prizes were sponsored by long-time industry partner FS Tool.
During the awards presentation, representatives from Pro-X Event were also on hand to announce Woodworking Technology student David Wellum as the recipient of the Pro-X Event Award of Excellence. The award was established to support a graduating student from a woodworking program at Conestoga who has demonstrated good character, dedication, and hard work in their studies. With his award, Wellum received a monetary prize of $500 and accepted a job offer with Pro-X Event.
The Woodworking Technology three-year advanced diploma program provides students with theoretical and practical training related to the technology and skills involved in the efficient and quality-conscious manufacture of furniture, cabinets and architectural millwork. Through co-op, students are provided the opportunity to relate in-school training with real industrial experience.
Established in 1988, the Woodworking Centre of Ontario at Conestoga is one of the largest facilities of its kind in North America and counted among the leading training centres for woodworking. At approximately 50,000 square feet of space, students have access to custom woodworking and production training as well as the latest in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and computer drafting technology.