The Wire Association Internationalโs (WAI) new online training platform was officially launched at the end of January 2025, marking a significant step forward in the Associationโs commitment to advancing industry education.
The debut included details about three in-house-produced coursesโIntroduction to Ferrous Metallurgy, Single Layer Extrusion Overview, and Extrusion Applicationsโas well as 12 manufacturing safety courses from a third-party content provider, offering a diverse library for industry professionals.
A Jan. 29th Open House webinar, the kick-off for the launch, gave attendees a first-hand look at the platformโs features, course structure, and content, with a live demonstration and Q&A session. โI fully expect the response to the platform and webinar to be phenomenal,โ said John Markowski, WAIโs Education Manager. โItโs clear thereโs a strong demand for flexible, high-quality educational resources in our industry.โ
Development is ongoing, with plans to introduce an online version of the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course later in 2025. โThis course has been the cornerstone of WAIโs training efforts for years and moving it online will allow us to engage a broader audience,โ Markowski explained.
At the time of launch, several companies were already prepared to integrate WAIโs training content into their employee onboarding efforts. Additionally, WAI is proud to announce a partnership with the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI), which will incorporate select ferrous metallurgy videos into SMIโs courses while also offering their participants access to WAIโs Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy course. This collaboration expands WAIโs reach and aligns with SMIโs shared mission to support wire manufacturing education.
Steve Fetteroll, WAIโs Executive Director, shared Markowskiโs enthusiasm for the platformโs potential. โThe industry is evolving, and so are we. This platform reflects WAIโs dedication to meeting the growing need for accessible, top-tier training opportunities.โ
Interwire 2025 will serve as a key stage for showcasing WAIโs new training materials to the wire and cable industry. As part of the event, John Markowski will host a session in the WAI Theater in the exhibition hall, highlighting the critical importance of workforce training in todayโs evolving industry. The session will include a live demonstration of WAIโs training platform, offering attendees a look at how it can serve as a valuable solution to meet their companiesโ training and professional development needs.
Visit wirenet.org for details on the platform, including future course additions and updates. Questions can be directed to education@wirenet.org.
