Frequently Asked Questions
Listed below are some of the more common questions about the field of architectural woodworking, our career training program, our community projects, and our workshops. If you have a question that's not answered here, please call us at 413-527-6103 or send us an email. You're also welcome to stop by the school at any time for a tour or join us for our Open House on Saturday, April 10th from 10 am - 4 pm.
Architectural Woodworking
What is architectural woodworking?
It is technically defined as all the wood exposed to view when the building is completed. This includes residential and commercial cabinetry (kitchens, baths, storage, office, closets), doors, windows, stairs, paneling, trim, and shelving. Almost everything made of wood - built into, or attached to - the interior of a building, is considered architectural millwork. Walk into any house, library, school, bank, boardroom, yacht, or office and you will probably see something built by a member of the architectural millwork field, commonly called a cabinetmaker.
How does architectural woodworking differ from carpentry or furniture-making?
Carpentry covers a wide range of skills in the building trades and generally refers to someone who participates in all aspects of constructing a building or structure. This includes such things as framing, roofing, siding, stair-building, and trim carpentry. Carpenters also typically install much of the millwork that a cabinetmaker produces, such as cabinets, trim, paneling, doors, and windows.
Furniture makers typically build free-standing, custom pieces and tend to utilize much more solid wood, with a smaller amount of plywood. While cabinetmakers do make some free standing cabinets, most of what we consider architectural woodworking is attached to a larger structure. If you are interested in building furniture, taking a cabinetmaking course is a good way to start, since it teaches you about wood properties, milling, and joinery techniques that are common to both cabinetmaking and furniture making.
What is the job market like?
This is a good time to enter the field. Cabinet shops across the country are losing long-time employees to retirement and are looking for new skilled workers. Pay and benefits are increasing, and many of the mid-size and larger shops offer medical benefits, 401K, and/or profit sharing. Most graduates will begin their career working on the shop floor, but there is considerable room for advancement, particularly at larger shops. For example, there are positions in drafting/design, estimating, project management, supervision and installation. In fact, employers like NESAW graduates because they are exposed to many of these areas of expertise during our program.
Career Training Program
What will I learn in your program?
The short answer: the essential skills needed to begin a career in architectural woodworking, with a special emphasis on safety and learning the entire project lifecycle. The long answer: see our Program Overview and our Step by Step description.
What are the classes like? What is the student-teacher ratio?
We divide the students into two sessions: a morning class, which runs from 7:30 am - noon and an afternoon class, which runs from 12:30 - 5 pm. We can accept up to 12 students in each session and we have two full-time instructors who work with both classes (one instructor acting as the primary teacher for the morning class and the other as the primary teacher for the afternoon class). Each session covers the same curriculum, so the choice of morning or afternoon is up to the student. Students are not allowed to switch between classes once the school year has begun.
What tools do I need?
Although our shop is equipped with a wide variety of portable power and hand tools, there are not enough for simultaneous use by all students. To promote maximum efficiency and encourage personal responsibility, we require each student to obtain and maintain, a set of basic tools. We also recommend the purchase of a portable tool box or bag to transport these tools to and from class each day or to store them in our locked tool closet. We typically work with our local Woodcraft store for special bundled pricing on most, if not all, of the required tools. See our recommended tool list for a detailed list of required and optional tools and contact us for information on any special pricing that may be available.
Are there tests?
We evaluate our students regularly, not only on their competence with the tools, but also on their attendance, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.The tool skills evaluation is based on the national skills standards effort.
Do I earn a degree at the end of the program?
This is not a degree program. You do, however, earn a state-approved Certificate of Completion which certifies that you have learned the fundamentals of architectural woodworking from a licensed proprietary school.
Do you have financing programs?
Yes. Please call us for details on financing your tuition and our early payment discounts. You may also pay for all or part of your tuition by credit card; we charge a 3% fee for this service.
Can veterans attend your program using VA funds?
Yes. However, we recommend that you first talk with your VA contact. This applies only to our nine-month program; our individual workshops do not qualify for VA funds because they do not represent a continuous course of study that earns a certificate.
How will you help me get a job at the end of the program?
Toward the end of the program, we provide assistance as you develop your resume and portfolio. We notify employers in our database that our students are graduating, write letters of recommendation, and talk to potential employers as needed. Historically, over 90% of our job-seeking students find jobs within a few months of graduation.
Will I get to build projects for my own personal use?
Not during class time. We do keep the shop open periodically for supervised help on individual projects.
Do I get to choose a community project to work on?
We assign projects to students based on the complexity of the project, the number of people needed to complete it, and the skill level of the student, as evaluated by the instructor. We encourage our students to express their preferences for a project, (e.g. one that requires veneering, installation, a particular type of cabinet construction, or furniture-like components), but there‚s no guarantee.
What if I want to be a furniture maker?
We do not specifically train our students to be furniture makers, but we provide a solid woodworking foundation that has helped some of our graduates design and build furniture professionally. Custom furniture making can be a difficult way to make a living, particularly in a struggling economy, and many furniture makers find it helpful to have the ability to produce architectural millwork if needed. Because we do have students who want to design and build furniture, we visit local craftsmen to see their completed pieces and discuss the techniques used to build those pieces. We also occasionally get furniture projects from members of the community and try to assign those projects to students who have expressed an interest in furniture making.
Do you offer any internships?
Each year, we work with local employers to provide both paid and unpaid internships. These internships generally begin in January, once our students have learned the basics of woodworking and can work safely in a shop, and there is an application process. Our instructors provide feedback on the students, but the shop owners make the hiring decisions. Interns work in the morning if they are taking the afternoon class and vice versa. These internships are not guaranteed and local employers generally give priority to those students who are looking for long-term employment.
Can I work while I'm attending the program?
Yes. Many of our students work when they are not in class. However, your priority is to be in class each day, and being called in to work is not an acceptable reason to miss class.
What is your refund policy?
Our refund policy is in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws c. 255, Section 13K. It applies to the nine-month program and all workshops. You can read it here.
What is the application process?
We will soon have an online application process in place, but in the meantime, simply download an application and mail or fax it to us. We will then call you for an interview. If possible, we prefer to have you visit the school for your interview, so that you can see the shop and our current students in action. The more you know about our program, the better prepared you will be on the first day of class! If you are accepted into the school, you will receive a letter in the mail. Once you've made your final decision to join our program, your $1,000 deposit is due.
What are the application deadlines?
In some years, we fill our classes by the end of May, while in other years, spots are still available in late August. If you want a particular session (morning or afternoon), we recommend that you apply by June 1. The morning class tends to fill first. If you're reading this in August or early September, give us a call to see if any spots remain. We can always place you on a waiting list.
Community Projects
Why do students build projects for members of the community?
NESAW is certainly unique in offering this feature as part of our nine month training program. In fact, we're the only cabitnmaking school in the nation that does so. Our primary reason is to give students an opportunity to experience the entire project lifecycle from design and estimating to building and installation. It gives them the chance to work on real projects with real challenges, and it allows our instructors to demonstrate new techniques as the opportunity arises. Employers value this experience because our graduates come to them with better design skills, better problem-solving skills, and better perspective on the industry. You can look at previous projects here.
What do you charge to build a project?
We charge 2x materials, which includes all solid wood, plywood, veneers, fasteners, and hardware (with the exception of decorative knobs or hinges). This helps cover our costs if students need to use extra materials over the course of the project.
What does the average project cost?
That all depends on the size and scope of the project; some projects cost $800 and some cost $3000. What's important to remember is that these are custom projects, built to the specifications of the client. Although our projects will cost more than an off-the-shelf product, they will be significantly less expensive than those built by full-service cabinetmaking shops.
How can I be sure I'm getting a quality end product?
Our reputation depends on how well we teach our students and how well they build your project. We take every job very seriously and will work closely with you to make sure that you are satisfied by the end product. Our instructors monitor each project throughout the day, offering advice and demonstrating techniques to ensure the highest quality.
How long does the process take?
We place you on our project list prior to September and meet with you in October or November to finalize the project and obtain your approval on the design and budget. Projects are generally completed by the middle of April, although some of the larger ones can sometimes take until the middle of May.
Okay, I'm sold. How do I get on your project list?
We generally start finalizing projects in October, so it's ideal if you contact us by August or early September. We look for a range of projects to meet the skill levels of our students and challenge their creativity, so not every project idea is approved. If you have a smaller project, we may be able to fit you in during the spring, when students have finished their large project. Take a look at our previous projects and call or email us with questions or ideas
Workshops
What workshops do you offer?
You can find a complete calendar and descriptions online. If you don't see a particular workshop listed on the calendar, it's likely that the next session has simply not been scheduled yet. You can check back, get on our mailing list, or contact us to see when we expect to schedule it.
How do I sign up for a workshop?
Download and complete the enrollment form and return it with payment. Make sure that you also complete the Liability Release forms attached to the enrollment form. If you would prefer, you can contact us and we'll send you an enrollment form by mail.
Do you take credit cards?
Not directly on our website, but we can send you an electronic invoice to pay online at Paypal. Just send us an email with your workshop choice(s) and you can expect an invoice within a day or two. You will still need to return the enrollment agreement by mail. And of course, you can always pay for workshops with cash or checks payable to NESAW. (Note: you can also pay for the career training program by credit card, but we charge a 3% service fee for that process).
What do I need to bring with me to class?
On the first day of your workshop, you will need to bring your insurance card so that we can copy it for our records. Students in all workshops should bring a 16' tape measure, a pencil, and paper. You may also bring your own safety glasses and ear protection, although we can provide both for your use during class. Some workshops may require additional tools, so please check the description prior to your first session.
Why do I need to have health insurance before participating ?
We require you to sign a Liability Release stating that you have health insurance before you can participate in a workshop. Our safety record is outstanding and you will be guided in how to safely use the equipment, but the fact remains that these are power tools and we need all of our students to be covered by health insurance in the event of an accident.
What happens if I miss a day of the workshop?
If you miss a day, other students or the instructor will complete the operations that were scheduled for that session on your project. Unfortunately, we can't schedule individual make-up days.
What's your policy for canceled and rescheduled workshops?
A weekend workshop is only canceled when no students have signed up to take it. Night workshops longer than three sessions may be canceled if fewer than three students have signed up. Workshops may be rescheduled for weather or instructor illness. If that occurs, a make-up day is scheduled that meets the needs of all the students in that workshop.
How do I become one of your teachers?
Contact us and let us know what you're interested in teaching. If we don't already have a teacher with those particular skills or interests, we'll invite you to submit a proposal for a class.
Do you accept ideas for new workshops?
Absolutely! If there's a particular skill you're interested in learning, let us know. We're particularly interested in adding to our list of short weekend classes.
Do you have any workshops for kids?
In the past, we have run a Build-A-Toy class for kids 8 and over. We're also exploring the idea of having a summer day camp for teenagers. If you're interested in the day camp or other classes for kids, please email us.
How do I get on your mailing list for new classes?
Simply email us and make the request! You can expect to be included in the next mailing, which usually occur every six weeks. If you want more immediate information, please call us at 413-527-6103.
