Carpenters generally create wooden products, often used to build all sorts of structures. We are going to talk about the carpenter job description and some of the most common carpentry tasks. We are also going to look at the carpenter salary, duties, skills, qualifications needed and training, work experience, and career outlook.
Job Overview: What Does a Carpenter Professional Do?
The carpenter job description generally involves creating wooden structures. These can be in the form of artworks, furniture, doors, window frames, foundations, and other similar products. Often, they have to work independently. That means that it’s very important for individuals in the profession to keep their deadlines.
Carpenter Job Duties
- Interpreting and accommodating customers’ requests related to design, materials, and other technical issues.
- Using rigging hardware and cranes to erect, install, and level building frameworks.
- Measuring, shaping, and also cutting plastic, wood, fiberglass and other construction materials throughout the project.
- Coordinating and directing construction workers and helpers.
- Inspecting and evaluating construction materials for defects or damaged frameworks, fixtures and other structures.
- Designing, building, and installing fixtures, structures, molding, windows, cabinets, and counters; as well as structural frameworks, doors, staircases, scaffoldings and other such construction structures.
- Being familiar with both raw and pre-constructed materials.
- Laying out roofing and drywalls, making sure that every item is leveled.
- Demolishing and dismantling designated items.
Carpenter Essential Skills
The carpenter job description usually involves large amounts of very specialized work. Because of this, carpenter duties often benefit from a number of personal skills and abilities. Without these, it would be much more difficult for an aspiring carpenter to be good at their job.
Knowledgeable. Carpenter skills include having an excellent knowledge of the countertop materials and lumber grades, also of both regular and power tools. A good carpenter should also have higher-than-average basic math skills in order to be able to measure, shape, and cut the materials. Also, an excellent knowledge of building and installing different structures.
Communication. It is very important for the carpenter to have the capacity to interpret the customer’s request, to build the plans in order to meet the clients’ needs, as well as to provide mock-ups for client approval.
Management. To ensure all projects finish safely and in time the carpenter has to have the necessary skills for coordination and direction of construction workers and helpers. He has to possess advanced problem-solving skills for any situation that might occur and a knowledge and willingness to follow safety guidelines at all times. Also, a disposition to work overtime and to be able to work with minimal supervision.
Detail-oriented. The carpenter has to have the ability to read, understand, and produce technical drawings. To not be afraid of heights, to have a high level of stamina and physical strength. Most importantly to have a high attention to details and very high levels of manual dexterity.
Becoming a Carpenter Professional
Oftentimes, workers learn how to use hand and power tools on the job. The carpenter job description frequently involves having to learn from others. Because of this, the carpenter gains his skills throughout his career. Many prefer to start out as helpers and hone some skills before entering an apprenticeship program.
Qualifications and Training
The only education requirement for carpentry is having a high school diploma. However, courses in mathematics and mechanical drawing, as well as general vocational training, are also frequently considered useful.
The most important part of becoming a carpenter is the training. An apprenticeship program usually lasts three or four years. For each year, an apprentice carpenter must fulfill two requirements. These are two thousand hours of training on the job and 144 hours of technical training.
One last requirement is for every carpenter to pass the OSHA safety courses. Standing for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the OSHA courses last for ten and thirty hours respectively.
Some of the positions most often open to individuals with the carpenter job description are as follows:
- Carpenter;
- Trim Carpenter;
- Finish Carpenter;
- Part-time Carpenter;
- Lead Carpenter;
- Carpenter Apprentice;
- Residential Building Carpenter;
- Nonresidential Building Carpenter;
- Journeyman Carpenter;
- Shuttering Carpenter;
- Formwork Carpenter;
- Master Carpenter;
- Carpenter Helper.
Work Experience
In order to get a job, experience is preferable, although not mandatory. Most employers will prefer hiring individuals with at least five years of experience.
However, it’s not all that difficult finding a job after finishing an apprenticeship program and getting all the necessary qualifications.
Working Hours
Mostly all carpenters work full time, that might include working evenings and weekends. Also, overtime is common in order to meet deadlines. While extreme temperatures may sometimes cause delays and limit the number of working hours.
In 2014 about 1 out of 3 carpenters were self-employed, they often work in residential construction and they are able to set their own schedule.
Job Outlook & Advancement Opportunities
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of employment for carpenters will go up 6% by 2024. That is slower than the 8% average for occupations. Roads and bridges needing repairs and new homes being built are just two of the reasons for the growth. The low rate of growth, however, is owed to the increasingly mechanized industry.
Experience can make quite an impact on the carpenter salary. Assuming that the average carpenter starting salary is around $35,000, without taking into account any bonuses, overtime, or other extra sources of income, the carpenter salary can grow by more than $15,000 over a career longer than 20 years.
Conclusion
Having one of the most physically active jobs in construction, carpenters are usually pretty satisfied with their salaries. The carpenter job description is very appreciated, and it does require three or four years of apprenticeship. For more information on jobs related to this one, check out the architect job description.
Leave a Reply