What happens when you offer a free construction class? It fills up in two days.
Deer Isle’s adult ed program launched a novel idea to teach people carpentry and basic building skills. The response shows a hunger for practical knowledge.
Industrial arts Instructor Eric Beachy, above, will teach “Basics of Residential Construction” and “Intro to Welding.” Photo courtesy of Grace Upham.
By John Boit
DEER ISLE–Last week, on Thursday, Dec. 11, Deer Isle Adult and Community Education announced it would offer a free nine-week residential construction program to help people “build the knowledge and skills necessary for an entry-level job in the building industry or work on personal home projects,” according to a press release.
By Saturday, Dec. 13, the class’s six spots were taken and the organization had started a wait list.
Even the organizers were surprised at the quick response, given that the class, “Basics of Residential Construction,” while free to participants, would require three hours of class work for four days a week for more than three months from January to April.
“We knew there was a desire to up-skill in the building trades, either because they are homeowners and they need to do some of their own repairs, because it can be hard to find a contractor, or because there are those who want to pivot to working for a general contractor,” Morgan Witham, director of the adult eduction program, told The Rising Tide.
Those skills can be especially important in a rural area like coastal Maine, Witham said.
“In the last few decades, our high schools have moved away from general shop classes, so it became more of a niche thing,” Witham said. “But then you get out in the real world and you need to maintain things. You realize you learned how to write a 25-page essay but you don’t know how to frame something up. In rural Maine it really helps if you can have some self-sufficiency.”
The organization also conducted focus groups with local contractors and found that a pipeline of new workers is needed. The free class is made possible through a grant from The Home Depot.
While the construction class is already full, the organization still has slots open for an introductory welding class with a “means-based pricing structure,” according to the press release.
“Intro to Welding: Stick Welding” meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4-6:30 pm from January 6-22. Participants can choose from tiered prices based on individual means, with costs ranging from $55 to $140.
Participants may sign up online for the welding class, email gupham@su76.org or call 207-656-6262.
Both classes will be taught by industrial arts Instructor Eric Beachy, and will meet in the Deer Isle-Stonington High School Industrial Arts Shop at 251 N. Deer Isle Rd.
Deer Isle’s adult education classes offer “community programming for various life-enriching subjects, including industrial arts (shop skills), tech skills, financial literacy, health and wellness, multimedia crafts, English and language arts, outdoor recreation, and more,” according to the release. The organization is located in the Old Stonington Schoolhouse/Island Connectivity hub. Visit their website for more information on various available programs.
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