Carpentry

News Stories

Carpentry student Emily Behm standing in front of the tiny home she and her classmates are building at the Cowichan Trades Centre

VIU carpentry students learn by building tiny home

March 20, 2024

The home is being built at the Cowichan Trades Centre and will be delivered to a property in Saanich. Carpentry students are gaining real-world experience and providing a home in the process. The students are building a tiny home at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Cowichan’s Trades Centre. Program instructor Andrew MacLeod said the project came about somewhat unexpectedly after another... Read more


Nanaimo Hospice Dream Home

VIU Carpentry Program Partners With Nanaimo Hospice to Help Create Dream Home

March 7, 2022

Students will learn new technology and participate in the construction process. Students in the Carpentry program at Vancouver Island University (VIU) will be playing a big role in a new community project and it’s all for a good cause. The program is partnering with Nanaimo Community Hospice and the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Vancouver Island (CHBA VI) to help construct a grand prize... Read more


Students learning carpentry, welding and information technology

VIU Hosts Virtual Event to Explore Careers in Trades and Applied Technology

May 6, 2021

WHAT: VIU Trades and Applied Technology Virtual Expo WHEN: Thursday, May 27, 3 – 7 pm WHERE: Online/Virtual   Trades and applied technology programs at Vancouver Island University (VIU) can help students enter rewarding, high-paying careers after as little as nine months of school. Those interested in learning more about which careers may be a good fit can come to VIU’s first-ever, free Trades... Read more


VIU Building Partnerships for Hands-on Learning Experiences

Building Partnerships for Hands-on Learning Experiences

June 24, 2020

Community partnership ensures VIU carpentry students continue to get experience working on a real construction site while maintaining physical distancing guidelines. Experiential learning is vital for construction trades students to gain the skills they need to enter the homebuilding sector, but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a new challenge at the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Carpentry program... Read more


Vancouver Island University carpentry students at the Cowichan campus learn skills on-site while building homes for the Malahat Nation.

Building Homes for a Nation

August 29, 2019

Malahat Nation is putting into action the “if you build it, they will come” concept through a partnership with Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) carpentry program. Since 2014, when George Harry Jr., Malahat Nation Chief, was a Foundations Carpentry student at VIU’s Cowichan campus, the university has partnered with Malahat Nation to build affordable housing on their land while offering... Read more


Carpentry shop in VIU Trades Discovery Centre

Trades Discovery Centre Builds Foundation for Future Workforce

August 1, 2019

Students and employees are enjoying the new learning space, which opened in fall 2018. ­­ When Jason Winchester came back to Vancouver Island University (VIU) in February for his carpentry apprenticeship training, he was excited to work in the new space. The Carpentry program is now located in the new Trades Discovery Centre, which opened in fall 2018 thanks to generous support from the federal... Read more