Led by a Master Carpenter Bram Rouws, The Woodcrafting School in Mysuru offers world-class programmes in carpentry, joinery and furniture design

Theory and work bench set-up (L) at TWS, with live demos (R) during each training programme.

Mysuru-based The Woodcrafting School (TWS) by Bram Woodcrafting Studio (BWS) is providing high quality training in the field of carpentry, joinery and cabinet making, as well as furniture design.

Working with the central and state governments, TWS is creating a new standard for the way woodworking is taught, and providing certification to the people interested in pursuing this as a profession – creating a placement system by which both employers and employees can benefit.

Bram Rouws is a Master Carpenter, having completed the prestigious Tour de France of the Compagnon, an exclusive guild of French and European artisans. (Read WoodNews of Nov-Dec 2018 for more). Since 2004, Bram has acquired diverse professional experience through working in several design organisations.

This expertise forms the backbone of www.woodcrafting.in and TWS. After 6 years of the successful running of BWS, Bram has opened his training methods and techniques to students and professionals alike.

The courses are made according to Bram’s curriculum; through the experience he has gained from working in 15 companies around the world and running of BWS. Bram is also involved in the government’s skilling efforts and worked on the National Occupational Standards with the Furniture and Fittings Skills Council (FFSC).

Professional training

Bram has held workshops in Bengaluru for the BMS School of Architecture and Mysore School of Architecture; conducted training for the annual World Skills competitions for big construction companies and candidates from five states; and hosted five candidates of the Compagnon as part of the prestigious Erasmus programme.

He has also trained the first batch of hearing-disabled carpenters, now employed in BWS!

BWS offers continuous training for employees of furniture manufacturing companies and other organisations. This continuous training is a system of training for two weeks, every eight weeks, for an overall period of 2 years. A shorter version of the programme would be for 1 year.

This programme upskills employees of other companies to have better processes, learn how to read drawings better, make prototypes, refine joinery and minimise the time they take to complete each piece.

The employees are taught to work on pieces of their company’s products, so that the learning can directly benefit the sponsoring company.

Masterclass with AHEC in 2024 (L) with Bram Rouws and Adam Markowitz. Workshops (R) for professionals and hobbyists alike are conducted all through the year.

Projects, internships

For those with some experience in carpentry, or those passing a basic woodworking course from BWS or other organisations, the training facilities at TWS is offered as a “maker space”. The TWS team is available to guide, help resolve design problems and assist in the execution of the project.

TWS offers several ongoing educational internship opportunities where, after merit-based selection, candidates can work on drawings, follow up on prototypes, and assist in research and development projects commissioned by companies to TWS. These internships include some amount of learning of carpentry and technical drawing.

A 360-hour pre-Master Carpenter course comprises of an introduction to furniture using solid wood, engineered wood and veneer; as well as cabinet making, spread over 3 months.

Candidates are taught how to construct furniture, think about structural stability and how to detail drawings. Principles of geometry, tracing, scale and proportion are taught. These form a solid foundation for employment in the interior and furniture design industry.

Basic training

TWS is eager to bring on board unskilled candidates for a 160-hour training programme that teaches them basic skills in the use of hand tools and classical machines. This is followed by a stint in the R&D section where, under the guidance of a trainer, candidates will be ready for recruitment.

Evening classes are available for additional learning. Companies enrolled in this programme can sponsor one candidate per month.

BWS believes in the principle of skill sharing to propagate knowledge and enable individuals to create on their own using carpentry techniques. TWS offers one-week and two-week woodworking programmes as an induction into the field of woodworking.

Individuals get to work alongside skilled carpenters and get to practise carpentry in a safe environment. The training includes learning the basics of joinery, machine knowledge, wood theory and construction.

Interested? Want more information? Write to training@woodcraftingstudio.in, or call +91-9036092243.

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