Master carpenters to host training courses

New carpentry courses for students and woodwork hobbyists will launch next month. 

Woodworks Carpentry Training Centre in St David’s is run by master carpenters Alma Hunt and Quinton Burrows. 

The centre has been open for five years, offering training to students referred to them by various government departments, including Child and Family Services and Probation Services, and they taught Community Education classes. 

In a statement, Mr Hunt said: “We want to train Bermuda’s next generation of carpenters. Bermuda had an incredible woodworking history – from boat building to our unique Bermuda roofs – but the trade has been slowly dying. 

“Woodworks was set up as a training centre, and with the recent support we’ve received, I feel optimistic that we will be able to move forward and do our part to help rebuild the trade.”

There are two programmes available. The first is for students interested in carpentry, the City and Guilds Carpentry Certification and Entrepreneurship Class will run three days a week for two years. 

Students will earn a Level 2 certification and will also be coached in entrepreneurship, via a partnership with local charity Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative. 

Each student will produce and market a woodworking product.

Mr Hunt said: “A lot of times students drop out of school because they need to work, so we wanted to show them how they can turn their learning into income and will help them to sell their products.”

The school will use mainly reclaimed wood from old pallets, discarded wooden furniture and off-cuts of lumber as a way to both reduce their supply expenses and environmental footprint.

Woodworks will also offer a series of one and two day classes to teach basic woodworking and will also provide access to the facility for woodworking hobbyists and working carpenters.

“We’ll be teaching folks how to use the machinery safely, and helping them to create products they can use, like cutting boards and picture frames. 

“Also, many people have basic woodworking skills but don’t have access to equipment like ours, so we’ll be offering weekly ‘open shop’ and facility membership.”

He continued: “The carpentry trade has been very good to Quinton and I. We both ran successful businesses for decades, and always wanted to ensure we passed trade on. 

“With the current economic climate, the country needs to be focused on providing training that will create jobs and build sustainability. 

“Woodworks is taking this on for the carpentry field. That’s our part, we’re proud to do our part.”

Mr Hunt hopes to partner with the Ministry of Education to provide teacher training in woodworking and offer short-term courses. 

The City and Guilds Certification will be geared towards students aged 18-35 and those interested should contact Woodworks and attend an information session at The Department of Workforce Development on Thursday, April 3 from 9.30 –10.30am.

An Intro to Carpentry and Workshop Safety class will be held on Saturday, April 5, from 1-4pm. This intro class is required for anyone seeking to access the one and two -day courses and the facility. 

Students will get hands-on instruction in how to use the machinery safely and the cost is $65.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 705-1838.