Mass timber carpenter training set for Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2 at UH Maui College

Training in the use of mass timber will be offered in January and February and the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College for members of the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters and its signatory contractors.

Mass timber is durable, fire resistant and, as pre-fabricated material, it can reduce construction time for badly needed homes in Maui County.

The Hawaii Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund is sponsoring the training Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Training is for a total of 32 hours.

The Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters is one of the largest construction unions in the state and represents nearly 6,000 members in carpentry, drywall and millwright work.

Key areas of learning will focus on the fundamentals of timber framing, including reading prints and joinery techniques; mass timber essentials: materials, tools and processes; safety considerations; and cross-laminated timber.

More information can be found at hicarpenterstraining.com. To learn more about mass timber, visit www.woodworks.org.

Mass timber is a durable material that is lighter than concrete with a low burn-rate, cost efficient, and environmentally friendly. Its prefabricated panels allow for faster assembly, reduced timelines, and a lower carbon footprint — key advantages for addressing Hawaiʻi’s housing needs and post-wildfire rebuilding efforts, according to an announcement.

“We see how beneficial mass timber will be in our industry and want to ensure that our members have the skills to use this important material,” said Edmund Aczon, fund executive director. “We started off by offering the training in Maui in partnership with WoodWorks and University of Hawaiʻi Maui College to support the rebuilding efforts for families impacted by the Maui wildfires.”  

Workshops held at UH Maui College in November drew strong participation and interest from member contractors, underscoring the growing demand for mass timber expertise, the announcement said. 

“Maui, like the rest of the state, needs more affordable housing for our residents, and it was further exacerbated for our community following the wildfires last year,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana of UH Maui College. “We were excited to partner with HCATF and WoodWorks to offer this training at our campus to get Maui carpenters trained using this material to build quicker and safer.”     

The workshops, developed in collaboration with the fund and WoodWorks – Wood Products Council, provide hands-on training in essential skills like timber framing, safety and cross-laminated timber techniques. They are offered at no cost to carpenters, drywallers and millwrights employed by signatory contractors.  

“’WoodWorks’ role is to help developers, building designers and contractors use wood to create quality projects that are safe, durable and sustainable,” said WoodWorks President and Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Cover. “We wanted to make mass timber available for reconstruction efforts and ensure that members of the Hawaiʻi Regional Council of Carpenters have the proper training to use this important technology.”