Carpenters play a key role in the Construction and Housebuilding industries, completing woodwork-related tasks such as cutting skirting boards and floorboards, making staircases and fitting roof joists. Trades recruitment agencies might look for carpenters with varying levels of experience depending on the job being completed.
Qualifications and salaries for a Carpenter
Undertaking a Building and Construction apprenticeship with a focus on Site Carpentry is the most common route into the job, but some Tradespeople begin as Labourers and later obtain NVQ or City & Guilds Carpentry qualifications.
Once time-served (qualified), Carpenters can find staff jobs with Construction and Building Maintenance contractors, or in the public sector. The average annual salary for the role is around £24,000, although good Tradespeople can expect to be paid more in north-west England and London.
Recruitment and employment options
Many experienced Carpenters opt to work on short-term contracts via recruitment agencies, as they are usually more lucrative than permanent jobs. Companies building new housing developments, shopping malls, hotels and industrial complexes all need additional carpentry skills on a short-term basis, particularly during the fitting-out stage of projects.
Another popular career option for Carpenters is to become a sole trader and carry out ad-hoc jobs for households and local businesses. There is always demand for reliable Tradespeople to work on loft conversions and complete tasks such as hanging doors and replacing wooden window frames.