Utilizing machine power and traditional hand tools to finely craft chairs, tables, boxes, lathe-turned bowls, pens, carving, marquetry, inlay, stools, and other items, students work closely with supervisor Ben Blackmar and local professionals to hone their trade.
Handcrafted
Portrait of the Warren Wilson College Fine Woodworking crew by Matthew Tennant ’18.
Tristan PerrymanI love being on my Crew because it has given me an opportunity to be a part of a program that is unique. Before coming to the college I had never been given a chance to develop an interest in Woodworking, and Warren Wilson gave me that chance. The biggest lesson that I have learned on this crew is that failure is simply a part of the process. Woodworking is a difficult craft. To me, this is what makes it so incredibly rewarding.
Learning Outcomes
You’ll spend years working alongside your peers and mentored by supervisors. Part of the experience of work at Warren Wilson is guided critical reflection, which helps ensure that you achieve both your own educational goals as well as our Common Learning Outcomes. These intentional learning outcomes distinguish our work program, giving it focus and relevancy that set it apart from federal work study or your average part-time job. Specifically, our Common Learning Outcomes are:
- Dependability:reliability, accountability, and the ability to successfully manage your time
- Integrity:trustworthiness and respect for transparent honesty
- Initiative:self-control, the ability to evaluate situations, and motivation to carry out responsibilities
- Analytical Thinking:working with available resources to creatively address issues and solve problems
- Communication:the ability to convey information effectively and build community with others
- Collaboration:collaborate with peers to achieve common goals
- Appreciation of the Value of All Work:an understanding of your place in the working world, and a respect for the dignity of all work
Learning and Performance Goals
In addition to our Common Learning Outcomes, each crew in the Work Program identifies crew-specific goals for learning and performance. These are reviewed with you each semester. The Learning and Performance Goals outline skills and abilities the supervisor will teach during the semester.
