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Do you instantly know how to fix things? Do enjoy working with your hands? Do you like the smell of wood?
Photo by Ryno Marais on UnsplashCarpentry is in high demand! If you enjoy working with your hands and building things, this might be the job for you.
What does a carpenter do?
A carpenter is anyone who builds objects with timber. They're involved throughout the building process, starting with the basic layout and ending with finishing touches on houses or commercial buildings.
Carpenters:
cut and shape wood and other construction materials
use hand tools or machines and power saws to build frameworks and structures
install foundations, walls, floors, ceilings, and roofs
fit and install windows and doors
build/repair cabinets, frameworks, floors, doors, windows, etc.
Other responsibilities may include:
Cleaning up worksite debris
Studying building plans to prepare project layout
Removing damaged sections of structures
Repairing or replacing sections of structures using hand tools
Consider the people below:
A. Elise likes to keep her hands clean at all times.
B. John enjoys taking stuff apart and putting them back together.
C. Tamara gets excited when she uses a saw.
D. Patrick likes to drive his pickup truck.
Quiz
Who might be a good fit to become a carpenter? Select all that apply.
Tamara and John would be good fits to become carpenters. They both have what it takes. Tamara likes to use a saw, a tool carpenters use a lot. John's abilities show that he's handy, as carpenters need to be. Elsa doesn't like to get dirty, so she isn't suited to carpentry for that reason, and simply enjoying driving a truck doesn't mean a person would make a good carpenter. Elsa and Patrick would need further skills to pursue the career.
What tools do carpenters use?
Hammers
Circular and table saws
Power sanders
Power drills
Tape measures
Glue guns
If you’re thinking of becoming a carpenter, you can take different paths to get there:
Complete a 3 or 4-year apprenticeship that includes technical and paid on-the-job training.
Enter a training program offered by a contractor.
Work as a helper to an experienced carpenter.
Photo by Annie Gray on UnsplashYou need to get a license if you want to work on your own. The length of experience and license requirements are different for each country/state.
Did you know?
Take Action
Photo by Greyson Joralemon on UnsplashHave you decided that carpentry might be the right career for you?
This Byte has been authored by
Michaela Pacesova
eLearning Designer & Developer