Contributed by: Luke Barnett
Organization: Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute
Dated Posted: July 28, 2026
Website: Visit External Site

ADRIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Aug. 1, 2026 — Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) today announced that its new Architectural Carpentry & Preservation program has received approval from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), a recognized accrediting agency of the U.S. Department of Education. The approval clears the way for SBWI to welcome the program’s first class in fall 2027.

The one-year program will provide intensive, hands-on training for students interested in preserving, restoring and recreating the architectural elements that give historic buildings their character. The first academic year is scheduled to begin Aug. 30, 2027, with graduation on June 3, 2028. Successful students will earn a Professional Diploma in Architectural Carpentry & Preservation.

“This approval represents an important step forward for SBWI and for the preservation trades,” said Luke Barnett, president and co-founder of Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute. “It’s an opportunity for employers to get skilled people, and an opportunity for students to make a living doing something that they love.”

The program responds to a growing need for craftspeople who possess both traditional carpentry skills and an understanding of contemporary preservation standards. Students will train for work involving historic doors, windows, trim, stair systems, cabinetry, millwork, finishes and other architectural elements.

The two-semester curriculum moves students from foundational woodworking and new construction into advanced preservation practice and fieldwork.

The program will be based at SBWI’s new $16.5 million campus at 5201 Forrister Road in Adrian Township. The purpose-built campus will provide expanded training facilities for SBWI’s career programs and support immersive instruction in architectural carpentry, historic preservation and related skilled trades.

During the first semester, students will work primarily in the studio, building skills in measuring and marking, drawing, architectural history, stick-frame carpentry, casework, door and window construction, cabinetry, staircases, carving, bending techniques and lathe-turned architectural work.

In the second semester, instruction will move from the studio to historic properties in the surrounding community. Students will apply their skills under real-world conditions while studying repair, restoration, stabilization, building codes, material identification, site safety and field documentation.

The curriculum draws from the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, emphasizing repair over replacement and the retention of historic materials whenever possible. Students will also earn certificates in OSHA safety requirements, lead-safe work practices, building investigation, estimating, scheduling, budgeting, proposals, construction documentation and project management.

SBWI developed the curriculum with input from a national team of carpenters, preservationists, architects, engineers, project managers, trades professionals and educators. The group represented union and non-union career pathways, large firms, independent shops, nonprofit organizations and higher education. Michigan State University helped facilitate and host the subject-matter expert meetings that guided the curriculum’s development.

The program will be limited to 18 students. Participants will receive individualized instruction from two lead instructors, supported by a studio or field assistant and SBWI’s academic and administrative team. At the new campus, students will train in dedicated bench and machine rooms with access to professional equipment, hand tools, technical resources and career-support services.

Graduates will receive a diploma in Architectural Carpentry & Preservation and will be prepared to pursue careers including restoration carpenter, finish carpenter, preservation technician, historic building contractor, architectural millworker, cabinetmaker, historic window and door restoration specialist, construction supervisor or building inspector, residential remodeling professional, and design-build entrepreneur.

Prospective students may apply, request information or learn more at https://sbwi.edu/architectural-carpentry-preservation. There is no application fee. Applicants must provide proof of high school completion or an equivalent credential, a letter of recommendation and a statement of purpose, and must complete an in-person tour and interview.

About Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute

Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute is an accredited, nonprofit 501(c)(3) postsecondary woodworking and carpentry school serving students from Michigan and across the country. SBWI provides outcome-based, hands-on education through full-time career programs in Furniture Design, Timber Framing, and Architectural Carpentry & Preservation, as well as continuing-education and weekend courses.

SBWI’s new $16.5 million career-training campus is located at 5201 Forrister Road in Adrian Township, Michigan. The expanded campus is designed to support the institute’s growing programs and provide students with purpose-built spaces for furniture making, timber framing, architectural carpentry and historic-preservation training.

SBWI is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, a nationally recognized accrediting agency listed by the U.S. Department of Education. The institute’s mission is to provide outcome-based woodworking education while pursuing continuous institutional improvement through ongoing assessment and continued education.

Learn more at https://sbwi.edu.