Woodworking school for women and children closing due to 'economic squeeze', staff shortages

A popular woodworking school in Tuggeranong for women and children is closing its doors early next year after opening just before COVID hit.

The Two Sheds workshop in Wanniassa will continue to host classes and school holiday programs until the end of January and is hoping people book in to enjoy the last of its offerings in Canberra.

Two Sheds Workshop is the brainchild of South Coast carpenter Jo Saccomani who first started the classes in Bega in 2014.

Her aim was to give women and children a sense of achievement and confidence in being able to build something and, also, encourage more women into the building trade.

She will continue the Bega arm of the operation, but will close Wanniassa in February after opening it four years ago.

Two Sheds' Canberra manager Jess Semler in the workshop in Wanniassa. Picture by Keegan Carroll

"Since we opened in 2019, bushfires, COVID-19, and the accompanying economic squeeze have depleted our resources - along with our ongoing challenge to find enough staff to meet demand," she said in a letter to supporters.

"With house-building workshops down in Bega kicking off with a frenzy next year, we have taken this moment to reel in our activities and rest and recover."

The Wanniassa workshop opened in 2019 in the old Rebels motorcycle clubhouse.

Local manager Jess Semler said while the classes were popular, it had become a challenge to staff them.

"We only employ women or non-binary carpenters because we think we want to give those opportunities to people who are often kind of sidelined in construction," she said.

"The problem is there's not that many trade-qualified women instructors - almost all the ones in Canberra we've had work with us.

Jess Semler says getting female instructors to teach the classes has not been easy. Picture by Keegan Carroll

"But there's such a demand to run workshops and classes and, unfortunately, we can't keep up with it at the moment."

Workshops and classes would continue in Bega, with the team reluctantly closing Canberra.

"It's so sad," Jess said.

"We've had so many wonderful people come through. Some of our teachers actually started off as students and have been with us for a number of years."

Jess said the workshop had been about inspiring confidence in women and children about how to use tools and building something for themselves.

"So it's not some mystery on another planet, it's within reach," she said.

• Two Sheds in Canberra is holding workshops and classes until the end of January, including school holiday activities. Bookings can be made here.