Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology
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About Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology
Repeated surveys of the woodworking industry have revealed the number one concern facing the industry for the 21st century is the lack of skilled and motivated workers. There is a continual need in the furniture, kitchen cabinet, and architectural millwork industries for persons possessing the skills and knowledge required to produce high quality wood products.
The Cabinetmaking and Wood Technology program is committed to continually providing students with the skills and knowledge required for rewarding jobs in the various woodworking industries. Based upon the belief that students learn best by working on projects, this program is strongly project-oriented.
Hence, students will produce several pieces of fine furniture after which they will further develop and display their skills by producing an advanced wood project of their choosing. Through the use of the College’s housing project, students will learn to list and produce all the millwork items required for a residential house. Additionally, students will design, produce, finish, and install a complete kitchen. Through the use of lectures, demonstrations, and the above projects, the program faculty feels they can best prepare students for careers in any of the three major woodworking fields: fine furniture, architectural millwork, and kitchen cabinetry.
What You’ll Learn
- Identify nomenclature and the proper use of hand and portable power tools.
- Apply the knowledge of wood as a material in the proper construction of various fine furniture projects.
- Demonstrate safe practice in the use and setup of trade machinery.
- Demonstrate skill in the use of drafting equipment in order to produce shop drawings.
- Read shop blueprints to develop accurate material lists.
- Demonstrate knowledge of finishing materials along with the skills required for wood finishing including the following: wood preparation, wood coloring using various stains, and top coating using oil finishes, shellacs, varnishes, and lacquers.
- Demonstrate the ability to list and prepare millwork items required for various building projects.
- Demonstrate proficiency in grinding knives for the shaper and molder and the setup of machines for production.
- Demonstrate the ability to produce jigs and fixtures required for production work.
- Demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary for kitchen layout, design, construction, and installation.
- Develop the skills and knowledge required for producing various types of countertops.
- Develop a strong work ethic along with the ability to work independently and as a contributing member of a team.
Sample Job Titles
Cabinet Assembler, Cabinet Builder, Cabinet Installer, Cabinetmaker, Woodworker, Furniture Maker, Project Manager, CNC operator
Essential Skills Needed
This program requires a variety of foundational skills for students to thrive. Click the button below to view the full list of essential skills you’ll need before enrolling.
Quick facts
Location
Thaddeus Stevens College Main Campus, Snyder Building
Type of program
Associate Degree
Job/Salary Outlook
See industry data
Length of program
2 years, 73 credits
Cost of program
$4,500/semester tuition
$3,105 – $3,623/semester housing
$1,915 – $2,417/semester meal plan
Tool List (PDF)
Program details
Courses
MODEL SCHEDULE FOR CABINETMAKING & WOOD TECHNOLOGY
Semester 1
- CABM 106 Hand Tools and Portable Power Tools (4 credits)
- CABM 111 Furniture Construction I (4 credits)
- CABM 117 Finishing I (2 credits)
- CABM 121 Related Drawing I (2 credits)
- MATH 126 Technical Mathematics I (or higher level math) (3 credits)
- CIS 111 Intro to Computer Applications (3 credits)
Semester 2
- CABM 151 Advanced Machinery (3 credits)
- CABM 156 Furniture Construction II (4 credits)
- CABM 162 Finishing II (2 credits)
- CABM 166 Job Management (1 credit)
- CABM 171 Related Drawing II (2 credits)
- CIS 105 Drawing with AutoCAD (3 credits)
- MATH 132 Elementary Geometry (or higher level math) (3 credits)
Semester 3
- CABM 206 Advanced Wood Project (6 credits)
- CABM 211 Machine Maintenance (1 credit)
- CABM 221 Architectural Millwork (4 credits)
- CABM 226 Custom Woodworking Cutters (1 credit)
- ENG 106 English Composition (3 credits
- Science Elective (3 credits)
Semester 4
- CABM 251 Shop Operations and Management (1 credit)
- CABM 261 Kitchen Cabinet Planning & Estimating (3 credits)
- CABM 263 Kitchen Cabinet Construction (4 credits)
- CABM 265 Cabinet Installation (2 credits)
- CABM 267 Counter Top Fabrication (2 credits)
- Humanities General Education Elective (3 credits)
Additional General Education Requirements
- Health/PE Elective (1 credit)
- General Studies Elective (3 credits)
Total Credits 73
Faculty
Jeremiah Polynone
Instructor, Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology, Second-Year Students, ’00 polynone@stevenscollege.edu
Evan Germann
Instructor, Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology, First-Year Students, ’12 GermannE@stevenscollege.eduOccupational Advisory Committee
The Occupational Advisory Committee (OAC) serves as a vital link between the Program of study and industry, ensuring that the program remains aligned with current workforce needs, technological advancements, and best practices in the field. Composed of employers, educators, and other community members, the committee provides guidance, feedback, and recommendations to enhance the curriculum, instructional methods, and student learning experiences.
Purpose and Responsibilities:
- Curriculum & Industry Alignment
- Workforce Readiness
- Student & Faculty Support
- Internship & Employment Connections
- Accreditation & Program Evaluation
- Facilities & Equipment Recommendations
By fostering a strong relationship between academia and industry, the OAC helps ensure that Thaddeus Stevens College programs maintain the highest standards in CTE (career and technical education).
- Jonathan Beck, Craftpoint Concepts
- Paul Downs, Paul Downs Cabinetmakers
- Tom Greenfield, Premier Custom Built
- Alan Hinson, JC Snavely
- Patrick Kennedy, Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
- Dave Riebe, Kountry Kraft
- Keith Rothermel, QCCI
- Lyndon Sentz, Lyndon Heath Cabinetry
- Mike Viozzi, Lezzer Lumber
The outcomes speak for themselves
Finding work directly in commercial or residential construction, this program prepares students to be successful framers, woodworkers, and cabinet builders.
100%
employment
$47.5K
median first-year salary
People of TSCT
Success stories
Performance Measures
Internal Key Performance Indicators (Sources: Internal data collections, and Post-Graduate Surveys)
Retention Rate
This rate reflects the continuous term-to-term persistence rate for certificate programs and the fall-to-fall retention rate for associate degree programs.
Graduation Rate
This rate reflects the number of freshmen who were officially enrolled in the fall semester and earned a certificate or degree within the expected timeframe.
Post Graduate Survey Response Rate
The post graduate survey is an annual on-line post graduate survey utilized by the college to gather vital information regarding career placement, starting salary, and level of satisfaction.
Employed Full Time Outside of Major
Percentage of graduates who reported being employed full-time outside their field of study.
Graduate Satisfaction
This is the median graduate survey response evaluating the level of preparation for workforce entry (based on a 5-Item Likert Scale).
Placement Rate
This is the percent of graduate survey respondents who reported being employed or continued their education on a full-time basis.
Employed Full Time Within Major
Percentage of graduates who reported being employed full-time within their field of study.
Annual Median Starting Salary
This number is based on the graduate survey response to the request to identify a starting salary from a range of options. This graph shows the median first-year annual salary. All calculations are based on the respondent’s self-reported first-year annual income.
Reported Hourly Rate
This number is determined by dividing the reported median salary by the number of hours in a traditional full-time work week (40), then the number of weeks in a year (52).
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