Find Your Path in Woodworking & Carpentry

SBWI offers hands-on trade school programs in Furniture Design, Timber Framing, and Architectural Carpentry & Preservation. Each program is designed for students who want to build practical skills, work with real materials, and prepare for creative careers in woodworking, carpentry, craft, and the building trades.

SBWI is a trade school with the creative depth of an art school. Students learn technical skills through hands-on projects while also developing design thinking, craftsmanship, problem-solving, and a personal creative voice. It is a strong fit for people who want practical career training without giving up creativity.

Woodworking can be a strong career path for creative people who enjoy working with their hands, solving problems, and making physical objects. Careers can include furniture making, cabinetmaking, finish carpentry, timber framing, preservation carpentry, architectural millwork, custom fabrication, and self-employment.

Furniture Design fits students who want to design and make original furniture and develop a portfolio of fine woodworking.

Carpentry & Timber Framing fits students who want to build full-size structures using conventional framing, timber joinery, and structural building methods.

Architectural Carpentry & Preservation fits students who want to work in finish carpentry and historic restoration, including windows, doors, trim, cabinetry, and architectural millwork.

Compare the weekly schedules above, then open a program page for details. If your interests overlap, talk with admissions about which path fits your goals.

No prior woodworking experience is required for many SBWI students. The programs are designed to help students build a strong foundation before moving into more advanced skills. Curiosity, commitment, patience, and a desire to learn are often more important than previous experience.

Yes. SBWI can be a good option for career changers who want to move into a hands-on, creative trade. Many students come to woodworking or carpentry after working in other fields, attending college, serving in the military, or realizing they want work that feels more physical, creative, and meaningful.

Yes. SBWI is an alternative to a traditional four-year college for students who want focused, hands-on career training. Instead of spending several years in a broad academic program, students at SBWI build practical skills, complete real projects, and prepare for careers in woodworking, carpentry, design, preservation, and related trades.

Graduates of woodworking trade school may pursue jobs in furniture shops, cabinet shops, millwork companies, timber framing companies, restoration firms, construction companies, design-build studios, museums, historic preservation organizations, and custom fabrication businesses. Some graduates also start their own shops or creative businesses. Visit the SBWI Works Page for more info.

Our full-time career programs run for one academic year, generally from late August through early June. Weekly schedules vary by program.

SBWI is located in Adrian, Michigan. The school serves students from Michigan, the Midwest, and across the World who are looking for hands-on training in woodworking, furniture design, timber framing, carpentry, and preservation trades.

SBWI provides student housing information and resources for students relocating to Adrian, Michigan. Housing availability, options, and costs may vary, so prospective students should review the current student housing information or contact SBWI directly for guidance.

SBWI provides information about financial aid, scholarships, payment plans, and other funding options for eligible students. Availability may vary by program and student situation, so applicants should review the current financial aid information and speak with SBWI admissions. Visit our financial aid page for more info.

Eligible veterans may be able to use GI Bill benefits or Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits for approved SBWI programs. Students should confirm current eligibility, program approval, and benefit details with SBWI and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Visit our GI Bill page for more info.

Student life at SBWI is centered on the studio, the shop, and a shared commitment to craft. Students spend much of their time building projects, learning from instructors, collaborating with classmates, and becoming part of a community of makers, designers, carpenters, and craftspeople. Visit our Student Life page for more info.

Skilled trades deserve rigorous education and professional respect. At SBWI, students learn through hands-on projects that combine technical skills, design, craftsmanship, and business practices.

Our programs prepare students to build, make, and preserve while developing their own interests and abilities. Connections with employers and industry organizations help students explore where those skills can take them.

SBWI combines technical trade training with design, craft, and community. Students learn through real projects, small-scale instruction, hands-on studio time, and exposure to professional pathways. The school is especially suited for people who want a career that blends skill, creativity, and meaningful work.

Yes. SBWI students learn by building real projects with real materials. Project-based learning helps students develop technical skill, confidence, problem-solving ability, and a portfolio of work that reflects their growth.

Students typically complete projects that can help form a portfolio of work. A strong portfolio can be useful when applying for jobs, apprenticeships, commissions, or further professional opportunities in woodworking, furniture design, carpentry, timber framing, and preservation.

Start with the work you most want to do: original furniture and objects, structural carpentry and timber buildings, or historic restoration and architectural details. Use the comparison above to check the skills, projects, weekly schedule, and diploma for each program.

Your next step is to talk with admissions if you are still choosing, or open your preferred program page to review tuition, tool requirements, and how to apply.

SBWI’s new campus is designed for hands-on learning in woodworking, carpentry, timber framing, and preservation trades. Located on a wooded campus in southern Michigan, the facility is intended to support focused studio work, connection to natural materials, and a strong student community.

Prospective students can request more information or begin the application process through SBWI’s website. The admissions process can help students learn more about program options, schedules, tuition, financial aid, housing, and which pathway may be the best fit.