Workshops
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Upcoming workshops and courses
Testimonials
Such a professional and supportive learning environment and teacher. I loved every class I attended and I learned so much.
Sabina D.
Workshop attendee
The WomenzShed is a fantastic place and Nikki is a terrific teacher! Even though I already know how to use a few tools, I was impressed with being taught better handling techniques and other very helpful and useful tips with a wide array of hand and power tools. The intro to wood workshop series was such a great learning experience and now I'm eager to do more!
Stacy H.
Workshop attendee
Had a fabulous workshop with Courtney this weekend! The team is so friendly and resourceful. I cannot recommend them enough! Thank you Womenzshed!
Twarita D.
Workshop attendee
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
I took the intro to the wood workshop class and I enjoyed every moment of it. We got to try so many different tools in a very safe and supportive environment. Everyone was so lovely there. This is a course I’d recommend for any women wanting to try something new or learn how to use the tools safely if you’ve already had some experience . I’ll be signing up for their other classes as well 🤩Sara W.
Workshop attendee
Such a fantastic workshop. The atmosphere was relaxed, welcoming and genuinely supportive. I went from feeling completely out of my depth (which I’m not used to!) to feeling capable and proud of what I created, thanks to Nikki’s calm expertise and kind, encouraging guidance.
We had the chance to try a range of hand and power tools in a space that felt safe and confidence-building. The ethos of creating supportive environments for women to learn practical skills many of us were never shown growing up is incredibly powerful.
I learned so much and left feeling both more skilled and more confident. Highly recommend.Jess D
Workshop attendee
I found this course absolutely brilliant. I have always been interested in carpentry, but had no idea how to go about it, or which tools to use when. I have gained so much knowledge in just 4 weeks, and given me confidence to give things a go. Being able to use all the different machines and tools was fantastic, and the tutors were brilliant in starting from basics for us. Thanks so much Nikki and the team, this is the best thing I have done in years.
Louise S.
Workshop attendee
The level and style of instruction - a really lovely way of teaching - it was detailed enough, and covered what it needed to in a short enough time that we could stay focused. The repetition was great so that I could get comfortable with tools that scared me. It was clever to give us basic wood to work with so that we could relax about trying things out. I appreciated that we were encouraged to take things apart and reassemble them, ie tools and changing out blades etc and trying new hand tools. Having a teacher and support teacher was great too.
Annie M.
Workshop attendee
This workshop delivered everything I hoped for, thanks to the energetic, supportive, fun and knowledgeable crew. It was delivered in a very down to earth way, with something for everyone. The small group learning was a perfect way to pick up skills and get to know people. I left every session smiling!
Justine A.
Workshop attendee
Our Workshop Range
Woodworking 101 - Make, Connect & Have Fun
Looking for something different to do with your friends? Get hands-on with a WomenzShed workshop and spend a few hours making something together, whilst learning new skills and having a great time along the way.
We’ll provide everything you’ll need to make your own cute, versatile shelf – ideal for spices, jewellery, plants or other small treasures. No woodworking experience is required.
With qualified and experienced women instructors, there’s plenty of individual guidance in a relaxed, supportive women-only environment.
By the end of the session, you’ll have:
- Built your own project to take home
- Learned to safely use a selection of hand and power tools including drills and sanders
- Gained confidence in practical skills
- Discovered the joy of creating something with your own hands
- Experienced the welcoming and supportive WomenzShed community
This workshop is also the perfect first step in your woodworking journey. From here, you can progress to our class, Introduction to Woodwork class.
🕘 2-3 hours
👩🏾🤝👩🏽 Group size – 4 to 10
📌 Auckland
👩🎓 Open to girls and women aged 15+ years. Participants under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible participating female adult.
Introduction to Woodwork
Always wanted to learn woodwork but not sure where to start?
This beginner-friendly workshop is designed especially for women with little or no woodworking experience, or those looking for some confidence in power-tool use. In a relaxed and supportive environment, you’ll learn how to safely use a wide range of woodworking tools and machinery while building practical skills and confidence.
Our small class sizes means you’ll receive plenty of individual guidance and hands-on time using the tools. By the end of the day, you’ll have completed a practical woodworking project and gained the confidence to tackle future projects of your own.
No previous experience is needed – just come along ready to learn, have a go, and discover how rewarding woodworking can be.
Once completed, you can continue your woodworking journey into our Woodworking Skills: Building Shelf-Esteem, carpentry or cabinetry classes.
Session includes:
- timber basics
- measuring and cutting accurately
- a range of hand tools
- planing, hand and electric planes
- electric saws including jig, circular and compound mitre saws
- Fixings (nails/screws/hinges)
- Drills and impact driver
🕘 6 hours
📌 Auckland and Wellington
👩🎓 Open to women aged 18+ years
Woodworking Skills: Building Shelf-Esteem - NEW WORKSHOP
Designed for novice woodworkers, this class is the perfect next step after our Introduction to Woodwork class, or for women with some basic woodworking experience who want to expand their skills.
You’ll move beyond the basics and learn a broader range of woodworking techniques, hand tools, power tools and machinery in our supportive and welcoming women only workshop environment.
Whether your goal is to build furniture, tackle home projects or continue into our carpentry or cabinetry programmes, Woodworking Skills: Building Shelf-Esteem provides the skills and confidence to get you there.
We’ll cover:
- Working with wood
- Joints: butt and housing
- Pocket hole joinery
- Power tools including routers
- Hand tools, including chisels and Japanese saws
- Finishing techniques
You’ll complete your own handcrafted shelf to take home – perfect for your own home or as a gift for someone special.
Materials
We will provide new or reclaimed materials, or you’re welcome to bring your own provided it is suitable for the project. As a guide, timber should be approximately 2 metres in length, such as floorboards or similar reclaimed, untreated and de-nailed timber.
🕘 6 hours
📌 Auckland
👩🎓 Open to women aged 18+ years
Carpentry for Beginners
This workshop is one of the next steps after completing our Introduction to Woodwork. Alongside our Cabinetry for Beginners, it’s one of the pathways we offer to continue building your skills.
Carpentry focuses on practical, around-the-home building and structural work so we’ve designed this workshop to give you hands-on experience with essential carpentry tools and techniques, enabling you to move beyond guesswork and gain skills you can confidently use at home.
You’ll construct a mock-up stud wall frame so you understand how to tackle basic repairs and modifications with confidence. Then you’ll build a shelf which will learn to hang securely… and level! You’ll also learn how to cut and install timber mouldings.
Learning includes:
- measuring, squaring, cutting and joining techniques
- working with plasterboard (GIB)
- how to safely and securely hang pictures and shelves
- different types of mouldings and practice installing
To finish, you’ll build a small planter box that you can take home, and depending on group ability we’ll also cover door hardware including handles and hinges.
There’s plenty of opportunity throughout the workshop to ask questions about your own projects and share your experiences with your fellow workshoppers.
🕘 9 hours
📌 Auckland
👩🎓 Open to women aged 18+ years
This workshop is one of the next steps after completing our Introduction to Woodwork. Alongside our Carpentry for Beginners, it’s one of the two pathways we offer to continue building your skills. Cabinetry focuses on designing and building interior fittings such as furniture.
In this workshop, you’ll learn to design and build a simple piece of furniture to take home and admire forever. Using basic cabinetry techniques and materials you will learn a design that can be adapted to create something for yourself such as a bedside table, a stool, a laptop table or a kid’s desk.
It is an opportunity to be creative whilst learning and embedding cutting, joining and assembling skills, in a supportive and friendly women-only environment at our exclusive Auckland workshop. Tools and machinery available to use include the track saw, dropsaw, benchsaw, jigsaw, drill press, electric and hand planes, sanders, etc.
If you have some previous experience with power-tools we still strongly recommend doing our Introduction to Woodwork first to hone basic skills and confidence working with the power-tools and machinery used in this workshop.
🕘 10 hours
📌 Auckland
👩🎓 Open to women aged 18+ years. Younger participants (16–17 years) may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
This more advanced workshop is the next step in our cabinetry pathway, designed for women who have completed our Cabinetry for Beginners, or for those with woodworking experience who are ready to build more confidence and techniques in their existing skills.
You’ll take on a more detailed project by building a wall-hanging cabinet. It’s an opportunity to refine and deepen your understanding of joinery, learning skills you can apply to a wide range of future woodworking projects that involve more advanced woodworking methods.
Tools and machinery available to use include:
- hand tools such as chisels and hand planes
- track-, mitre- and bench saws
- trim and plunge routers
- jigsaws, electric planes,
- drill press
- sanders
🕘 10 hours
📌 Auckland
👩🎓 Open to women aged 18+ years
