Our Carpentry program encourages a commitment to excellence and a mastery of the craft. In 36 weeks, you’ll be able to jump-start your carpentry career and earn a return on your educational investment. Our small class sizes give you plenty of one-on-one time with your instructors, who are master carpenters.
In this program, you’ll learn how to construct and renovate residential and commercial buildings. You’ll use hand tools and machines, and learn the different practices of current and emerging industry standards. You’ll experience the importance of working together safely and efficiently on building sites to meet your clients’ needs.
Our Carpentry facilities are well-suited for lectures, benchwork, and small building projects. In addition, you’ll work off-site on construction that may include house additions, garages, or similar projects.
"I felt carpentry and the comprehensive and specialized training at NBSS would be a springboard for me to become a master at my new trade."
Philip Benevides CA '13
View More Carpentry Alumni Profiles
Have you ever noticed a team craning up a Christmas tree to place on top of a nearly-finished building? Perhaps you've driven under a recently refurbished bridge and spied a large wreath at the top of its massive arch. In each case, this practice is part of a long history of builder's rituals dating back thousands of years.
When someone says it's time to raise the roof, it usually signals a celebration. But when a client asked Carpentry Department Head Brian Vogt PC '94 to raise the roof on a structure earlier this year, he knew any plans for party music would have to wait. An atypical project with some special elements yielded a fruitful off-site learning project for the students – and a pleased property owner.
Carpentry built on its success thanks to the creation of the new Partners in Craft: Designers, Builders & Architects Scholarship. "The School preserves the notion of craft and making, as does our company. We've come to see NBSS not just as a resource but also as a kindred spirit," says donor Kochman Reidt + Haigh Cabinetmakers.
What happens when 24 students in two different programs swap benches for a week? 6 matching cabinets, 18 unique tables, and a whole lot of perspective. Read more about this enlightening experiment from our Cabinet & Furniture Making and Carpentry programs.
NBSS's Carpentry program was featured in the December 2017/January 2018 issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine. The article, written by Carpentry Department Head Brian Vogt, detailed their fundamental approach to building a gable wall, which hinges on an accurate layout that keeps the math to a minimum. Read the entire article here.
Recent Carpentry graduate and Army veteran Khounchai Linlavong CA '17 gave a moving speech at the 2017 Annual Celebration of Craft Preview Dinner. That evening, he described his road to recovery as an injured veteran and how his training in the Carpentry program changed his life. Watch the video of his speech here.