employment 4 students - The UK's most visited student jobsite

Menu

Apprenticeships in Carpentry & Joinery

A Guide To Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships
Working in the coınstruction industry can be a hugely rewarding career for the right person because you can work in a variety of environments. You can work indoors and outdoors and you can even work in the UK or, if you have itchy feet, careers in construction can even take you overseas.

People from many types of trade and professional backgrounds work in construction and one of those trades is carpentry and joinery jobs. If you have been thinking about working with timer and wondering how to become a carpenter or joiner, then Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships could be ideal for you.

As a trainee carpenter or joiner, you will learn all the skills you need to be able to carry out your job safely and effectively. And the great thing about Apprenticeships is that you get to earn while you learn and also gain nationally recognised qualifications at the end of your programme.

The Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship Standards have been drawn up by companies and organisations in the construction industry, including those who specialise in offering carpentry and joinery services. The Royal Engineers are also part of the team. Having all these people creating the Apprenticeships in Carpentry and Joinery could be a great benefit to you because these are the people who know the skills and behaviours you need to develop your career and also ensure the future success of the UK construction industry.
How Do Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships Work?
If you do want to become a carpenter or a joiner, let’s take a look at how Carpentry and joinery Apprenticeships work.

First of all, what types of things will you be doing in your role? What is the carpenter job description? What is the job description of a joiner? Both carpenters and joiners are an integral part of the construction industry and need to be able to work with precision. Whilst both carpentry and joinery jobs involve working with wood and timber, the roles are slightly different.

The joiner job description is generally about creating fixtures and fittings made from wood whilst those of you who become a carpenter will be responsible for fixing these fittings into place on a construction site. Whichever direction you choose to take your career in Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships will give you options for different pathways so that you can work to your strengths and take the most appropriate course for the environment you are working in. Your employer may advise you on the best route to take.

If you decide you want to go into the military services and also learn a trade at the same time, it is possible to sign up with the Royal Engineers and do Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships with them. As well as full military training you can also learn a trade and do carpentry and joinery jobs.

Being a trainee carpenter or joiner means your hours of work can vary depending on the type of company you are working for. In the military, for example, you will be required to move away from home to do your training and live on barracks where you are based. Other Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships will see you working on construction sites and in workshops.

In future carpentry and joiner jobs, you could be working long hours on occasion to meet building targets and you may spend periods away from home if you are working on projects in other areas of the UK. Be aware that Apprenticeships in Carpentry and Joinery will also require a certain level of fitness. You will need to be able to carry heavy pieces of timber and also be prepared to work with heights, too.
Qualifications And Pathways
Whether you want to become a carpenter or a joiner in the future, there are core skills and knowledge that you will learn as part of Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships.

Within your Apprenticeship programme, there will also be specific skills and knowledge that you will learn as part of your particular pathway. Your experiences during Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships will differ depending on the employer you are working for and the type of environment you are working in. Whatever the case, you will still be awarded nationally recognised qualifications on completion.

There are two levels that you can complete: Level 2 Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship Standard and Level 3 Advanced Carpentry and Joinery.

Level 2 Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships
Whether you want to focus on Carpentry Apprenticeships or Joinery Apprenticeships, you will gain an overall understanding of using timber products to create and install building components.
  • Level 2 will take 18-24 months to complete.
  • There are 2 pathways to choose from, depending on whether you want to become a carpenter or a joiner. Pathway 1 - Site Carpenter. Pathway 2 - Architectural Joiner.
  • At the end of Level 2 Apprenticeships in Carpentry, Pathway 1 qualifications will be NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Wood Occupations - Site Carpentry.
  • At the end of Level 2 Apprenticeships for Joinery, Pathway 1 qualifications will be NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Wood Occupations - Architectural Joinery.
  • If you haven’t already achieved it, you must also achieve Level 1 Maths and English before completing your Apprenticeship programme and also be aiming to achieve Level 2.
  • On completion of Level 2 Apprenticeships, you can either progress to Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeships for joinery or carpentry or you can begin work as a Site Carpenter or Architectural Joiner. Level 2 means you will meet the requirements of the CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) ‘Skilled Worker’ standard so you will be qualified to seek carpentry and joinery jobs elsewhere if you want to move on in the future.
Level 3 Advanced Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships
Whether you are focussing on Carpentry Apprenticeships or Joinery Apprenticeships, Level 3 Advanced programmes you will gain a more in depth understanding of using timber products to create and install building components. You will also take on more responsibility by managing your own and other people’s work.

As well as taking on more responsibility for your own and other people’s work, Level 3 Joinery and Carpentry Apprenticeships differ from Level 2 in that you will also be required to complete more complex and non-standard work such as bespoke orders and curved products.
  • Level 3 Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships will take 12-15 months to complete.
  • There are 2 pathways to choose from, depending on whether you want to become a carpenter or a joiner. Pathway 1 - Advanced Site Carpenter. Pathway 2 - Advanced Architectural Joiner.
  • At the end of Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeships in Carpentry, Pathway 1 qualifications will be NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Wood Occupations - Site Carpentry.
  • At the end of Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeships for Joinery, Pathway 1 qualifications will be NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Wood Occupations - Architectural Joinery.
  • If you haven’t already achieved it, you must also achieve Level 2 Maths and English qualifications before completing your Apprenticeship programme.
Once you have completed Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeships in Carpentry or Joinery, as well as your NVQ Level 3 qualification, you will also meet the requirements for Advanced Skilled Worker standard in the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).
Further Career Progression After Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships
There are various employment opportunities for those of you who have become a carpenter or joiner. If you have completed Level 2 Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships, you could opt to move on to complete Level 3 qualifications. This can increase your carpenter wage or joiner wage.

Level 3 carpenters and joiners can command a higher joiner and carpenter wage and this Advanced level allows more scope for creativity.

If you are looking to progress your career even further in carpentry and joinery jobs, you could move into other areas of construction such as project management or contract negotiation. Some people also choose to go into training so that you can educate other young people and help them to become a carpenter or joiner.

Entrepreneurial people might set up their own business and take charge of their own joiner or carpenter wage, naming prices for your services. Further courses and training could see you specialise in particular areas such as heritage restoration or creating your own designs for interiors and outdoors.
Apply For Carpentry And Joinery Apprenticeships In The UK
So, now you know how to become a carpenter or how to become a joiner, why not get the ball rolling and apply for Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeships. You can get your training underway, earn while you learn and bag yourself some nationally recognised qualifications that can set you on the road to a successful career. Apprenticeship carpenter jobs and joiner roles could be available locally and elsewhere.

Not enough jobs here?

Why not refine the search criteria or ...

Set Up a Job Alert Register Now

Enter your email address and we'll email you jobs like this!