Washington Business Fall 2011 | Page 49

business backgrounder | industry students make the spotlight brighter High school, college and art students create videos and award plaques for 2011 AWB Manufacturing Excellence Awards. Thanks to a unique partnership between AWB and video production programs at Gonzaga University and The Art Institute of Seattle, all seven winners of the 2011 Manufacturing Excellence Awards were featured in their own short video this year. This was the first time AWB worked with students to create video segments highlighting award winners, and the experiment proved to be a huge success for everyone involved, said Anne Haller, director of member relations and events for AWB. The students gained valuable experience traveling to the companies, interviewing company leaders about what they do, and putting together approximately 90-second video programs. They spent about three hours at each location, interviewing and shooting footage. The companies gained extra exposure for their award-winning operations. The video segments were not only shown during the Oct. 11 award ceremony at The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, but they were also linked to a press release about the awards and embedded in a post on AWB’s blog, Olympia Business Watch. And AWB gained a fun, dynamic element to the awards presentation. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase the talent of our upcoming workforce while providing real-world experience for the students,” Haller said. That wasn’t the only student contribution, either. AWB partnered with Spokane’s Mead High School for the design and manufacturing of the award plaques. Two junior engineering students worked with instructors to come up with a distinctive gear-themed design for the plaques, and then made them by hand. Andy Arnold, engineering instructor, said they ended up using every piece of machinery in the shop. “It let them practice what we’ve learned, but in a real-world application,” Arnold said. “Plus they got to go to the award ceremony. They thought it was pretty cool.” As a result of the students’ hard work, this year’s Manufacturing Excellence Award winners went home with some attractive hardware. And the students walked away with their very own highlight reel. Canyon Creek is your one-stop source for cabinet and closet systems, with a custom solution for every room, style and budget. We’re pleased to be recognized by AWB for our innovation, commitment to our community and workforce excellence. AWB 2011 Manufacturer of the Year ___________________ EPA Evergreen Award ___________________ WA State Governor’s Award for Sustainable Practices ___________________ Selected for the 2011 Seattle Business Green 50 List related websites: 2011 AWB Manufacturing Award videos: bit.ly/manufacturingvideos The Art Institute of Seattle: www.ais.edu Gonzaga Univers