OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, May 31, 2015
12 noon to 3 pm
25386 County Road 7
Winona (Pickwick), Minnesota
(About one mile south of Pickwick Mill)
All are welcome!

Southeast Technical's Carpentry Program students and their instructor, Ralph Roemer, have worked for the whole school year to bring blueprints to reality, building a single-family home about one mile south of Pickwick Mill on County Road 7, southeast of Winona. They will celebrate with an Open House on Sunday, May 31 (noon-3 pm).

The new single-story home features a walkout basement, four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. There is a two car garage on the front side of the house as well as a tuck-under single garage/workroom on the lower level. 

Upstairs, the open floor plan features vaulted ceilings and a panoramic view over Big Trout Creek through large windows set in angled walls that extend toward the valley. Through the kitchen, a doorway leads out onto a deck that again takes advantage of the view.

The full walk-out lower level features another bedroom and full bath, a spacious den, large windows that let in plenty of light, and expansive views of the valley. 

As in previous years, a special feature of the home is custom cabinetry built by the students built according to the design specifications provided by the owner for the kitchen and bathrooms. The students build the cabinets from "scratch" and finish them in the carpentry lab at the college before installing them in the home.

Consider building a project house in 2016

Homeowners can expect to save a substantial amount of money on the cost of carpentry labor by working with Southeast Technical to build a new home. The college is seeking a prospective home owner to build a project house in the 2016-2017 school year. 

"We already have plans on deck for this next academic year, but it's not too early to start planning to build a home starting in September 2016," says Ron Sellnau. "Interested parties should contact the college as soon as possible to see if working with our carpentry program might be a good fit for them. Call the college at 507-453-2700 and ask to leave a message for Ralph Roemer."

Bright future for carpentry program grads

Southeast Technical's Carpentry Program graduates can look forward to an improving job market as the construction industry continues to rebound. A 2014 study ranked carpentry among the top 10 high growth, high pay occupations in Minnesota through 2022. Carpentry was listed at #4 in Minnesota with a median salary of $45,881.14. Carpentry was ranked as the #1 high growth, high paying occupation in Wisconsin with a median salary of $42,350.

Southeast Technical offers diploma and associate degree programs in carpentry, and also provides certificate programs for carpenters who are seeking additional training. To learn more, visit the Carpentry Program page.