Frequently Asked Questions
Can men participate in Women.Design.Build programs?
Yes, absolutely! Although we create an emphasis on involving more women in the design.build trades, we generally work to create a collaborative environment where participants of all backgrounds and skill sets can work together to expand and develop their design and construction knowledge.
How old do I have to be to participate?
We welcome participants of all ages. If you are under 18 years old, you must have a guardian sign a waiver form on your behalf. You can download this form under the Legal page on our website or bring your guardian along with you to share in the fun!
Who teaches the workshops?
We are constantly seeking to create partnerships with professionals and trades people in our community who have a desire to share their knowledge with our participants. Our instructors are amazing people that we have found or have found us one way or another. We work with whomever is interested in designing and facilitating a workshop that pertains to their skills and our participants interests.
I have an interest in sharing my skills with the Women.Design.Build community but am not exactly sure how.
No problem! We are here to help local leaders and practitioners share their knowledge and connect with a like-minded community. Let us know what skills you have to offer and we will help find appropriate partners and a venue.
What should I expect to learn or do at your workshops?
The details depend on the workshop’s topic, but we try to provide you with the general knowledge and skills sets to prepare you for your own projects. Our instructors are very knowledgeable and can answer any questions you have that were not covered in the workshop. Sometimes our workshops are more advanced and could require you to have some previous knowledge of a tool or topic covered in past workshops, but we are always happy to work with you to make sure you receive the knowledge you need to achieve your design.build goals!
What topics do you cover in Shop Talk?
We have covered anything from paper to power tools in our Shop Talks! Check out our events page to see what topics we currently have on the boards.
Do you have workshops about _______?
We are always offering, and looking for, new Shop Talk topics. Check our calendar to see whats coming up and let us know if you would like to see a workshop about a particular topic!
Do I need to have any previous construction or design experience to participate?
Unless otherwise noted in the workshop description, no previous knowledge is required to participate in our programs. We exist to provide you opportunities to explore your design and construction interests no matter what your background is. Our participants have a wide range of experiences and interests, which only adds to the richness of our community!
What should I bring to the workshops?
Your creativity and curiosity is usually all we require! Sometimes our workshops require specific safety gear which we will detail in the event descriptions.
How long are your workshops?
Our Shop Talk workshops usually last anywhere from 1-3 hours, depending on the topic. The event description will provide more detailed information about each workshop. We like to keep the format a little loose to allow for participants to get to know each other and the instructors. Participants often have specific questions for the instructors pertaining to a project they have taken on or would like to do. We try to leave plenty of time to answer these questions and provide you with the specific knowledge you came to seek.