Carpentry and Joinery Apprentice

The Trade of Carpentry & Joinery is very wide and varied, it encompasses most of the skills required by the Wood Trades. These skills required of the Carpenter & Joiner are not confined to those required to work in wood but include skills in the use of metals, plastics and fabrics. The Carpenter & Joiner is also required to work in a cross section of domains within the overall trade.

The following are some examples: Joinery Shop: This section of the occupation requires the Carpenter & Joiner to engage in setting out, production and assembling items of joinery which include stairs, doors, windows and built-in furniture.

Site Work: Site work is the construction of buildings or houses which require 1st fixing, formwork roofs and 2nd fixing. This section is split into two categories, constructing/civil engineering contracts.

Maintenance: Maintenance work requires the Carpenter & Joiner to carry out a variety of tasks in general maintenance and upkeep of public and private buildings, e.g. shops and factories. There are other areas associated with the trade which include: renovating buildings, shopfitting, exhibition/display work. At the end of the apprenticeship, the craftsperson will be able to demonstrate competence in the following skills: Core Skills

• Construction of upper floors • Construction of flat roofs • Construction of pitched roofs • Construction of hip roofs • Construction of pitching roofs (trussed) • Construction of load and non-load bearing partitions • Fabrication and erection of formwork for walls, columns, floors, stairs • Construction and hanging of the following: • Framed and sheeted doors • Panelled doors • Flush doors • Construction and installation of internal and external door frames • Construction and installation of windows • Carrying out 1st and 2nd fixing on buildings • Operation of the following powered hand tools: • Saw, planer, drill, router, screwdriver, ballistic gun, router, sander, jig saw Specialist Skills Personal Skills • Construction of moulds • Construction of centres for arches • Construction of specialist type joinery • Construction of fittings • Setting out buildings • Site levelling • Communications • Customer relations • Adaptability • Ability to work as a team member • Ability to work independently • Initiative • Problem solving • Planning • Information gathering • Quality systems • Safety • Use and care of hand tools • Interpreting drawings • Measurement • Setting out • Marking out • Planning (production) • Calculations • Work practice • Use of manufactured boards • Fixings • Ironmongery • Basic wood joints • K/D fittings • Setting up and operation of machines for specific operations