Job Profile – Carpenter

Octain Recruitment • 20th November 2013,

If you enjoy creating things  and enjoy doing work with wood, Carpentry could be the perfect profession for you. Carpenters and joiners create wood fixtures and fittings to install within construction, building and development projects.

Carpenter or joiners do not require any official qualifications to work nonetheless  employers and construction sites typically want individuals with experience and knowledge. If you have not got construction or building experience, a route into carpentry could be to work as a joiners mate or labourer to get site experience and knowledge. Once working on sites your employer may possibly offer training in carpentry and joinery. Another option to becoming a carpenter or joiner is through apprenticeships.

Successful carpenter or joiner have an eye for detail and take pride in their work. They also tend to have good mathematical capabilities for measuring and figuring out angles. As a carpenter you will need to be able to effectively work from technical drawings.

 

The work

Carpenters or Joiners, may possibly operate in subsequent areas:
Shaping / cutting timber for floorboards, window frames and skirting boards.
• Assembling doorways, window frames, staircases and furniture.
• Fitting wood structures, such as flooring, roof joists staircases, partitions, doorway’s and window frames (1st fix).
• Installing skirting boards, doorway surrounds, cabinets and shelving, and locks (2nd fix).
• Constructing temporary wooden framework to support concrete that needs setting.
• Building and fitting interiors for stores, hotels, financial institutions, workplaces, places of work} and general public buildings. You may have experience and skill in all of these, or you choose to  specialise and become an expert in just one.
 
 

Working Hours

Working hours will generally vary depending on whether your are self employed working through a construction agency, privately or for a company. Typically hours are 08:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday. Depending on the project you are working on Weekend and evening work are sometimes available.

                                                                     

Income

Working through a construction agency carpenters and joiners hourly rate varies betwen £8.00 to £16.00 per hour depending upon experience and job location.

Entry requirements

Carpenters do not always require. However employers usually require previous experience. If you do not have experience working as a carpenter you can gain experience by working as a carpenters labourer. As you gain experience working as a carpenters laburer employers may offer training or an apprenticeship.

An additional option is to enrol on a full or part time college {course|program|training programme in carpentry and joinery. This would give you a combination of the practical skills and knowledge needed for the job and may improve your chances of finding work as a carpenter.

Course Options include:

  • L1 Basic Construction Skills
  • L1 Wood Operations
  • L1/2 (NVQ) Cert / Dip in Wood Occupations
  • L1/2 Cert / Di in Construction Crafts (carpentry and joinery)
  • L2 Dip in Site Carpentry.
 

Professional development and Training

Once working, you could develop your skills by completing courses such as:

  • L3 Dip in Wood Occupations
  • L3 Dip Site Carpentry
  • L4 (NVQ) Dip in Senior Crafts (Construction – Joinery).

The above courses include options covering a range of skills, including the following:

  • Bench work
  • Site work
  • Shopfitting
  • Timber frame erection
  • Wheel righting
  • Computer-aided design work
  • Project planning