Brighton MET Students Master Heritage Carpentry Techniques During Training Day  

Students from the college recently joined others from the Chichester College Group for a fascinating training day covering traditional carpentry & joinery techniques.

The two-day course was organised for students from Brighton MET, Chichester, and Crawley College by the Sussex Heritage Trust.

It was held at the same site as the hit BBC TV show The Repair Shop, and utilised the skills of specialist lecturers at the Weald and Downland Living Museum.

It was designed to give students a taste of classic carpentry techniques, using the same tools they would have utilised roughly 300 years ago.

The day began with a tour of the museum, including a viewing of some original 300-year-old timbers that were taken from an old house.

After the tour, students were challenged to recreate this element by constructing a wall plate – a horizontal, load‑bearing timber used in traditional frameworks to support the structure of a house roof.

This proved particularly challenging, as students were not allowed to use nails or screws. Instead, they had to rely solely on hand‑cut joints, meaning every piece had to fit together with absolute precision.

Matthew Vaughan, Principal of Brighton MET College, said:
“Experiences like this are invaluable for our students. Learning traditional craftsmanship not only deepens their practical skills but also helps them understand the heritage and history that continue to shape modern construction.”

“We’re incredibly proud to see them take on such a challenging project with real enthusiasm and professionalism.”

To read more about some of the Construction & Trades courses available at the college, please click here.