Welcome to Women On The Tools (WOTT) – the place to get hands-on with tools and machinery, learn great skills from the ground up, and call on experts for support and guidance.
Our mission is to break down barriers and build confidence through practical learning. We aim to help people who haven’t spent time in sheds and workshops learn skills, gain confidence, have fun, and (most importantly) make stuff!
Are you ready to gain new skills and confidence with tools and machinery?
If this sounds like your sort of adventure, join us and become a member! Or enrol in one of our many courses….or simply get in touch to find out more.
Start your journey with us today and experience the joy of learning in a space where everyone is welcome.
Let’s get On The Tools!
WOTT we offer....
Courses
We offer a wide range of half-day and full-day courses in Carpentry, Welding, Home Maintenance, Garden Design, Vehicle Maintenance and more! Each course has been designed to teach you the basics in a supportive environment, focusing on safety, comfort, and confidence. We guide you every step of the way, ensuring you leave with both knowledge and a tangible project you’ve created yourself.
You can find more information on each of our courses on our Courses Info page.
To book a course, head over to our Bookings page to secure your spot!
Memberships - Clubs, Workshops, Events & Personal Project Spaces
Want to join our community and take your skills to the next level??
Learn from our experts, collaborate on group projects, or work on your own project in our safe and supervised members area, amongst other women of our community!
Become a member of WOTT and enjoy full access to all of our diverse clubs, workshops, and events we hold each month, as well as exclusive access to our members-only project space, tools and machinery.
You’ll also gain member discounts on our signature courses, on-on-one sessions with our DIY expert JC, and stuff bought through our shop.
So WOTT are you waiting for?? Visit our Memberships page for more information, or to sign up today!
The WOTT Shop - Tools, Materials, & Hardware
We have always worked hard behind the scenes to source and supply tools, materials, hardware and PPE that suit women’s needs.
Whilst this has – and continues to – be a service we offer to our wonderful community, we are slowly expanding this into a one-stop, WOTT Retail Shop- where everyone can access the most commonly used hardware and materials on the spot!
As we continue to build up stock on hand and finalise our online store, you can still place project-specific orders with us, either by shooting us an email or popping into the big shed to have a chat.
“Awesome small personal & attentive learning experience. If you have never picked up a tool, or stepped into a shed, but always wanted to, THIS IS THE SHED. The wonderful, inspiring, empowering women instructors here are the people you gotta meet. Find your courage, take the leap, you wont look back! :)”
Lisa Kelly
“JC has a wealth of knowledge and presents it with an understanding of how women learn and the little things/tips that women need to know to confidently use workshop tools, ranging from a basic hammer through to a power drill. Thank you for this fabulous opportunity!”
Christine Martin
“Awesome experience. JC was a great teacher and made it fun. Really important skills to have in the current economic climate, actually going to save me heaps in the long run…but also the feeling of accomplishment and independence. Highly recommended.”
Lisa Holliday
“Wonderful safe and inspiring space for women to gain both practical and creative skills using tools. Small class numbers and awesome staff/teachers.”
Simone Fitzgerald
Our Story
Our story began in October 2022, sparked by the vision of our founder, JC (Janet Carter).
Over time, JC had realised that many women, disabled folk, and people with cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds had little experience with tools or basic DIY skills. But it wasn’t from a lack of interest, it actually stemmed from a lack of opportunity.
With over 25 years on the tools, JC often found herself in environments where she walked and talked differently to everyone else. And over these years, she became more convinced of the need for a dedicated space where people like her could learn practical skills in an accessible and inclusive environment.
Pooling her education and experience, JC has created a unique way of teaching the ‘heavy’ skills of Carpentry, Welding and Home Maintenance —one that focuses on more women-friendly ways of doing things.
In less than two years, WOTT has grown from a spark of inspiration into what is know affectionately known as “the big shed” – offering an extensive range of courses that continue to expand and grow. To read more about our humble beginnings, head over to Our Story page.
But we're not just about teaching skills, we're about putting them into practice. Over, and over again.
Recently, we’ve expanded to include a new Membership program, continuing our mission of empowerment through skill-building and community support.
We are not a “Women’s Shed” because we offer many things that a Community Shed does not….and as a result, we are not registered as one. We are however, continuously working behind the scenes with Women’s and Community Sheds to help them establish their headquarters and offerings.
We also have, and continue to build collaborations and programs with support agencies, such as family and domestic violence, long term unemployment services, and NDIS.
We dream that between WOTT, Women Sheds, and support agencies, women will have a range of safe, inclusive spaces to learn skills and gain confidence, depending on their wants and needs.