Woodwork Career Alliance Celebrates Awarding of 10,000th Passport
Woodworking Network March 25, 2026
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA) reached a major historic milestone: the issuance of its 10,000th Passport since the program’s inception in 2011.
The landmark Passport was awarded to a student at Enka High School in Chandler, North Carolina. Enka is one of six schools within the Buncombe County School District that is credentialing student proficiency based on the WCA Skill Standards.
The WCA has seen a major acceleration in its Passport credential system over the last few years. The total number of Passport holders in the WCA’s online registry has more than doubled since 2022. Similarly, the number of credentials awarded each year has grown dramatically. A total of 1,591 credentials were awarded in 2025 compared to 734 in 2022. During that same period the number of Core credentials skyrocketed: 462 awarded in 2025 versus 18 in 2022.
The Core credential—the second of seven levels in the WCA system—acts as the critical bridge between the entry-level Sawblade certificate and the beginning professional Green credential. The recent skyrocketing of Core awards indicates that students are increasingly committed to mastering the intermediate skills required for potential woodworking careers.
“Issuing our 10,000th Passport is more than just a number; it’s a testament to the growing momentum behind professional woodworking education,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “Our mission has always been to provide a clear, standardized path for the next generation. Seeing the surge in Core credentials proves that students aren’t just starting the journey—they are committing to the craft at a higher level.”
This expansion has been fueled by the WCA’s investment in its Assessed Skill Evaluator (ASE) online training platform. Launched in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the platform has made it more convenient for high school and postsecondary instructors to become certified evaluators, allowing them to administer the WCA credentialing program within their own classrooms.