Brooklyn Workforce Innovations helps jobless and working poor New Yorkers establish careers in sectors that offer good wages and opportunities for advancement.

Currently BWI offers free job training programs in four industries: commercial driving, telecommunications cable installation, TV and film production, and skilled woodworking.

Brooklyn Woods trains individuals in the basics of woodworking, preparing them for entry-level jobs in woodwork and related fields. Upon successful completion of the program, job placement assistance is provided.  About 85% of successful graduates obtain entry level employment at a starting wage approximately $ 11.50 per hour.

This free, seven-week, full time training course (Mon-Fri from 8 AM to 4 PM) includes instructions in:

• The proper use of hand tools, power tools, and woodworking machinery
• An introduction to finishing and sanding, veneering, wood identification, and reading shop drawings
• How to cut, machine, sand, and assemble a cabinet
• Shop math and measurement
• Comprehensive safety training including a 10-hour OSHA course
• Soft skills training to aid in getting and keeping employment
• Job placement assistance (for successful graduates)

Minimum Requirements

To be Eligible Applicants MUST:

• Have minimal or some experience working with wood or as a laborer, as a carpenter’s helper, in a trade or working with your hands
• Have a strong interest in working in woodworking or a related field as a career
• Be unemployed or underemployed
• Be able to attend class Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM for 7 weeks
• Be 21 years or older
• Resident of NYC; Eligible to work in the U.S.
• Pass an 8th grade reading test and 6th grade math test

• Be physically fit/able to lift 70 lbs.                                                                                            

Those receiving public assistance, including food stamps, and individuals with criminal backgrounds are welcome to apply. Individuals who have previously completed a BWI training program are not eligible to take another BWI training.

Next cycle free job training in woodworking will begin in late June 29, 2015 to August 14, 2015. To apply, you must attend an Information Session in June.

INFORMATION SESSIONS WILL OCCUR ON WEDNESDAYS AT 10 AM ON JUNE 3, 10, 17,  AND 24.

Please bring Photo ID and a pen. Be prepared to spend about three hours at the facility. You will fill out an application, receive detailed information about the program, tour the state-of-art workshop, and complete the tests.

Location: 125 8th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenue) in Brooklyn.

Subway: Take R Train to 9th Street or F/G Trains to 4th Avenue. Walk north on 4th Avenue to 8th Street and make a left. Walk down 8th Street, cross 3rd Avenue and continue until you see a gray metal door marked 125. Ring the buzzer for Brooklyn Woods, which is located on the 2nd floor.

Car drivers: Please note that street parking is extremely difficult to find on 8th Street and the surrounding blocks.

For information, please contact Drew Furnari, Program Associate 718-389-3636 x0 or email Toby Gardner at tgardner@bwiny.org

You can learn more about woodworkers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook  Jan. 2014:

The following are important qualities of woodworkers from the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

• Detail oriented. Woodworkers must pay attention to details to be certain that the products meet specifications and to keep themselves safe.
• Dexterity. Woodworkers must make precise cuts with a variety of saws, so they need a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination.
• Math skills. Knowledge of basic math and computer skills are important, particularly for those who work in manufacturing, where technology continues to advance. Woodworkers need to understand geometry to visualize how the wood pieces will fit together to make a 3-dimensional object, such as a cabinet or piece of furniture.
• Mechanical skills. Modern technology systems require woodworkers be able to use programmable devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor.
• Physical strength. Woodworkers must be strong enough to lift bulky and heavy sheets of wood, such as plywood.
• Stamina. The ability to endure long periods of standing and repetitious movements is crucial for woodworkers, as they often stand for extended periods when manufacturing parts and products.
• Technical skills. Woodworkers must be able to understand blueprints and technical manuals for a range of products and machines.

You can also learn about carpenters from the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2014.