Maker Skill Trees

Maker Skill Trees are printable templates that can guide and track hands-on skill progression. Colour in the boxes as you go and get inspired to try new things. This repository is always growing and aims to include a large variety of skills, see full list below. Everyone's journey is different and you can interpret the goals flexibly. Not everything needs to be completed. Print your own in A4 or A3 size.

Each skill tree has 73 skill or experience hexagonal tiles, ordered in a spectrum of basic skills at the bottom to more advanced skills at the top. This includes 5 set your own goal tiles for you to tailor to your own interests. Under the templates section, there's also a smaller Mini Skill Tree template with only 40 tiles. Maker Skill Trees are released under the Creative Commons Licence, CC BY-SA 4.0. You are free to share, adapt, remix or transform the printables or templates. However, you must do so by giving credit to Steph Piper / Maker Queen (or leaving the credit at the bottom of the page) and if you release a remix it must be under the same licence. I'm looking at releasing a book with all these compiled when all trees are complete.

Open Source – CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence

Header font used: Hansief
Icons from Icons8, and some self-made

Templates include Adobe Illustrator and PDF files.

Usage Ideas

Individual goal tracking / upskilling
For makerspace members to upskill on a variety of tools
For training new staff members on skills
For school students working on self-directed activities (See Kids STEAM Skills tree)
For recruitment / competency checking

Yet to Make (17/40+)

Classic Skills

✅ Woodworking
☐ Blacksmithing
✅ Metalworking
🟧 CNC & CAM (70% - In Progress)
☐ Automotive
☐ Ham Radio
☐ Crafting
☐ Arts
✅ Music
☐ Playing musical instruments
✅ Reading & Writing
✅ Crochet
✅ Knitting
✅ Sewing
☐ Leatherworking

Tech Skills

✅ Explore a Makerspace
      ✅ Makerspace w/ 3D Printer, 3D scanner, Vinyl Cutter and Electronics Bench
      ✅ Makerspace w/ 3D Printer, 3D scanner, Vinyl Cutter, Laser Cutter and Electronics Bench
✅ Laser Cutting
✅ Electronics
✅ PCB Design
✅ Dev Boards: Arduino, Raspberry Pi & ESP
☐ Software / Coding
☐ Linux
✅ 3D Printing and 3D Modelling
      ☐ 3D Printing
      ☐ 3D Modelling
✅ Embedded Systems
☐ InfoSec
☐ Creating a Wordpress site / Blog

Life Skills

☐ Entrepreneurship
☐ Cooking
☐ Baking
☐ Cleaning
☐ Gardening
☐ Animal Husbandry
☐ Travel
☐ Sports / Fitness
☐ Adventure
☐ Backyard Science
☐ Civics Skills / Activism
☐ Gaming
      ✅ Dungeons and Dragons
      ☐ Tabletop Games
      ☐ Video Games

For Kids at School:
✅ STEAM Skills

Interested in helping put one of these together? Or even something that's not on the list? Send through your draft and I can put it in the template, or we can do a brainstorm hour to fill it in. If you're an expert and help me put something together a skill tree for the repository, or can assist in translating the sheets into different languages I'd love to send you a box of goodies from my online store to say thanks. Let me know if you're interested, email: steph@makerqueen.com.au

How to Make Your Own

Use the template pack in the files, including PNG / PDF and AI files to fill in with your software of choice. If you've filled it in, I'm happy to polish it with custom icons and release it in this repository.

My aim with the skill trees is:

flexible with goals rather than too specific, everyone's journey is different
Inspiring to try new things rather than completionist
Include options for tools that aren't cost / availability restrictive

With a total of 73 skill tiles, there's a lot of boxes to fill in! To help prompt ideas, I usually include the following:

What's the first few things you do in this skill?
What materials might you use at a basic / intermediate / advanced level?
What tools might you use at a basic / intermediate / advanced level?
What techniques might you use at a basic / intermediate / advanced level?
What might go wrong and how would you fix it?
Where might you visit to learn more / get involved in a community?
What interskill / interdisciplinary techniques could you try? Eg. Electronics + Textiles = Wearable Tech
Gifting a friend something made from x skill
Teaching a class or friend on x skill
Releasing an online tutorial on x skill

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