A career working in the field of carpentry & joinery involves working with wood, and wood by-products through various carpentry skills. A carpenter & joiner plans, constructs, finishes, repairs and installs wood-based fittings and in your role, you will hold a fundamental position on any construction project, whatever the scale. Let’s take a look at what a carpenter and joiner actually does, what other people you will work it and where your career as a carpenter and joiner can take you.
Working in Carpentry & Joinery
A good carpenter will be highly skilled, conscientious, reliable and have a keen eye for detail and problem solving, along with good organisation and time management skills and the ability to communicate well with others working on the project.
In your job as a carpenter on a construction project or building site, a quantity surveyor will generally be responsible for:
- Interpreting and understanding technical drawings, blueprints and plans
- Conducting preparation and installation of windows, doors, stairways, drywalls, fittings, fixtures and cabinets etc
- Have a great knowledge of wood and wood by products and know what material is right for a particular job
- Ensuring all work is done in accordance to health & safety regulations standards
- Be comfortable working in constrained spaces and be physically fit for the demanding work involved
- Communicating clearly to supervisors, fellow tradespeople and customers.
Career Progression
A career as a carpenter and joiner means you will have a fundamental role within the scope of the overall construction or civil engineering project, dealing with personnel working across multiple disciplines.
On a construction project a carpenter would be expected to be in regular contact with those in the following roles, amongst others:
- Site manager
- Plumber
- Bricklayer
- Tiler
- Foreperson
- Structural engineer
- Roofer
- Health & safety
- Glazier
- Electrician
Professional Qualifications
One of the most common routes is via apprenticeships, where trainee carpenters learn the role ‘on the job’ with a carpentry firm and also study for their recognised qualification in college over 7 phases of work and college based education. Once you have established yourself as a carpenter, you can apply for membership of bodies such as the National Guild of Master Craftsmen in Ireland. Due to innovation within this sector, constant training and upskilling in new methodologies, materials and equipment is advised if you are to have a successful career as a carpenter and joiner.
How your Career Can Develop
Carpenters and joiners can choose to specialise in particular areas during your career, so you will need to upskill and earn any necessary certifications. You can specialise in areas such as domestic or industrial construction, joinery, stair-making, cabinet making, finishing, flooring and many more. Ultimately you can build up your own client base and start your own carpentry or contracting business or work with large firms or contractors that would require your services.