Carpenter or Joiner Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

As a carpenter or joiner, you may work in one or more of the following areas:

• cutting and shaping timber for floorboards, skirting boards and window frames
• making and assembling doors, window frames, staircases and fitted furniture
• fitting wooden structures, like floor and roof joists, roof timbers, staircases, partition walls, and door and window frames (first fixings)
• installing skirting boards, door surrounds, doors, cupboards and shelving, as well as door handles and locks (second fixings)
• building temporary wooden supports for concrete that is setting, for example on motorway bridge supports or building foundations (formwork)
• making and fitting interiors for shops, hotels, banks, offices and public buildings.

You could be skilled in all of these or you may specialise in just one or two.

Hours

You would normally work between 39 and 45 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Overtime at weekends or evenings may be necessary.

Some work could be outdoors in all weathers, up ladders and on scaffolding or roofs. Some work is indoors where conditions could be dusty. You would use protective equipment on all jobs.

You would normally travel between sites, and for some jobs you may need to stay away from home.

Income

Starting salaries are between £13,000 and £16,000 a year.

Qualified joiners earn between £17,000 and £23,000 a year, and experienced joiners can earn up to £28,000 a year.

Overtime and shift allowances will increase your income. Self-employed carpenters and joiners set their own rates.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You do not need any formal qualifications to become a carpenter or joiner, but employers usually want people with some on-site experience. If you have not worked in construction before, you could work as a joiner's mate or labourer to get site experience. Once working, your employer may offer you training in carpentry and joinery.

You may be able to become a carpenter or joiner through an Apprenticeship scheme. To be eligible, you may need GCSEs in subjects such as maths, English and design and technology, or vocational qualifications such as a BTEC Certificate or Diploma in Construction (carpentry options). To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit the Apprenticeships website.

• Apprenticeships

Another route in is to take a college course in carpentry and joinery. This would give you some of the skills needed for the job, but employers may still want to see some site experience.

Courses include:

• City & Guilds Award in Basic Construction Skills (carpentry options)
• CSkills Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry.

For more details about courses, contact ConstructionSkills and your local college. ConstructionSkills also has general information on building careers and qualifications.

• ConstructionSkills

The Know Your Place campaign promotes the construction trades as a career choice for women.

• Know Your Place

Training and development

Once you start work, you could take on-the-job NVQ qualifications, such as Wood Occupations levels 1 to 3. The qualification offers several options, including:

• Bench Work – marking, setting out and producing joinery products
• Site Work – installing first and second fixings and structural components
• Shopfitting – manufacturing and installing internal and external frames, shop fronts, fixtures and finishings
• Timber Frame Erection – putting up timber frame walls, laying floors and fixing roof structures
• Wheelwrighting – marking out, making and assembling joinery items for carriages.

The Institute of Carpenters (IOC) also offers various craft awards for carpenters and joiners looking to improve their range of skills and qualifications. For more details contact the IOC.

• Institute of Carpenters (IOC)

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)

Many building contractors will want you to have a CSCS card to work on their sites. The card is proof of your skills and competence. To get your card you must:

• pass a health and safety assessment
• have an NVQ or equivalent qualification.

If you are working without qualifications, you may be able to use On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) or Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) to get your NVQ and card. Contact CSCS for further details. You can also find out more about OSAT on the ConstructionSkills website.

If you are working without qualifications, you may be able to use On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) or Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) to get your NVQ and card. Contact CSCS for further details. You can also find out more on the ConstructionSkills website:

• On-Site Assessment and Training
• Experienced Worker Practical Assessment

Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme

The Traditional Building Skills Bursary scheme aims to increase the number of skilled people in the traditional crafts and built heritage sector. It is doing this by offering grants (bursaries) and organising work-based training placements for suitable applicants. To find out more, visit the Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme website.

• Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme

Skills and knowledge

To become a carpenter or joiner you will need to have:

• good practical skills
• an organised approach to work
• an eye for detail
• the ability to follow technical drawings and plans
• good maths skills for measuring and working out angles
• a reasonable level of fitness
• the ability to work as part of a team and unsupervised
• an awareness of health and safety.

More information

National Heritage Training Group
www.nhtg.org.uk

Institute of Carpenters (IOC)
32 High Street
Wendover
Buckinghamshire
HP22 6EA
www.instituteofcarpenters.com

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)
Tel: 0844 576 8777
www.cscs.uk.com

Construction Skills
Bircham Newton
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE31 6RH
Tel: 0344 994 4400
www.cskills.org

Opportunities

Many carpenters and joiners are self-employed. You could also find work with large construction companies, local authorities, shopfitting firms, or in set-building for theatre and television.

Jobs may be advertised in the local and national newspapers, and at Jobcentre Plus. You could also find work through people you know.

With experience, you could progress to site supervision and construction management roles, or move into a specialised area, like restoring buildings or making props. You could also work in kitchen and bathroom fitting or move into teaching.

You may find the following useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in a new window):

• bConstructive
• Construction Jobs Network
• Directgov - (Jobseekers page)
• The Stage - (for vacancies in television and theatre)

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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• Craft