How to become a carpenter
Facts checked
You can become a carpenter through an apprenticeship, earning a wage while you train on the job. Or you can do a college course, then take the NVQ while working as a trainee. Either way, a Level 2 NVQ or a finished apprenticeship gets you the blue CSCS card most building sites ask for.
Carpenter and joiner are two names for the same trade, so becoming a joiner works the same way. A Level 2 carpentry apprenticeship takes about two years. From scratch at college, it's usually two years full time, Level 1 then Level 2. The NVQ then typically takes three to six months once you're in work.
Some carpentry courses at college can be free, depending on things like your age and income. Answer a few questions to see what you could do free near you.
Check what you can get freeIt takes about a minute. We will email you a link to confirm your account and save your results.Ways into carpentry
Start as a carpentry apprentice
A carpentry apprenticeship is a paid job where at least a fifth of your hours go on training, often at college. Neither your employer nor the people who train you can ask you to pay towards it.
You can train as a site carpenter, fitting timber on building sites and in homes. Or you can train as a bench joiner, making doors, windows and stairs in a workshop.
An apprenticeship gives you the experience employers ask for, and at the end you can apply for the blue CSCS card. There's no upper age limit, so adults changing career can start one too. If you're 16 to 21 years old, there's also a foundation apprenticeship of about eight months to try carpentry, bricklaying and plastering first.
No grade 4 (C) in English or maths yet? If you're 19 or over, you can take the GCSE free, whatever you earn.
Check what you can get freeLearn at college, then get your NVQ at work
College teaches you carpentry in a workshop, and you can start at Level 1 with no experience. On its own, a college diploma won't get you the blue CSCS card.
A Level 2 or 3 diploma gets you a two-year Trainee card, so you can find work as a trainee. You then do the NVQ while you work.
An assessor watches you on the job and looks at evidence from work you've done. There are no exams. Finishing the NVQ gets you the blue card.
See which of these carpentry courses you could do free.
Check what you can get freeAlready a carpenter? Get your NVQ
You can get the NVQ for the skills you already have, in one of two ways. You can be assessed at your work, which typically takes three to six months.
Or you can take the experienced worker practical assessment (EWPA), about two days of tests at a centre. It's typically for people with around five years in the trade, and experience from abroad can count if it's to UK standards.
Carpentry qualifications
| Qualification | Level | How you take it | What it gets you | On JobYay | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpentry and joinery apprenticeship | 2 | On a wage with an employer, about 24 months, training as a site carpenter or bench joiner. | The blue CSCS card, once you've finished. | 8 vacancies | Nothing for the training |
| Craft carpentry and joinery apprenticeship | 3 | On a wage with an employer, about 15 months, after the Level 2. | Skills for more complex work, and the gold CSCS card once you've finished. | None open | Nothing for the training |
| Level 1 Award, Certificate or Diploma in Carpentry and Joinery | 1 | At college, usually a year full time, or part time. No carpentry experience needed. | The basics of carpentry, and the step up to Level 2. | 162 courses for adults | Check what you can get free |
| Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry, Carpentry and Joinery, or Bench Joinery | 2 | At college, full or part time, about a year, usually after a Level 1. | A two-year CSCS Trainee card, to work on site while you take the NVQ for the blue card. | 190 courses for adults | Check what you can get free |
| Level 3 Diploma in Site Carpentry, Carpentry and Joinery, or Bench Joinery | 3 | At college, about a year, usually after a Level 2. | Advanced site or workshop skills, and a two-year CSCS Trainee card too. | 39 courses | Check what you can get free |
| Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Wood Occupations | 2 | Assessed in your job over three to six months, with no exams. Or practical tests at a centre over about two days, after around five years in the trade. | The blue CSCS card. Some repairs jobs ask for the NVQ itself. | 7 courses | Check what you can get free |
| Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Wood Occupations | 3 | Assessed in your job, usually once you have the Level 2. | The gold CSCS card. | 5 courses | Check what you can get free |
| CITB health, safety and environment test | None | At a test centre, booked in advance. Carpenters take the operatives' test. | The pass you need for any CSCS card. It lasts two years. | None | £23.50 to book |
See which of these carpentry courses you could do free.
Check what you can get freeWorking as a carpenter
The work and what employers want
You could work on building sites, in workshops and in people's homes and businesses. It can be dusty, at height and in all weathers, with a lot of travel. A typical week is 40 to 45 hours, with the odd evening or weekend.
Nearly all carpentry employers want experience, and many site jobs ask for a CSCS card. You'll often need your own tools and safety gear, and a driving licence for repairs work.
Much of the work is contract or temporary, paid by the hour or the day, but there are permanent jobs too, mostly in repairs. Carpenters start on about £24,000 to £25,000 a year, rising to about £40,000 with experience.
Specialise in formwork or fire doors
Shuttering carpenters, also called formworkers, build the temporary timber moulds that hold concrete while it sets. It's a common carpentry job, mostly on big building sites.
Fire door carpenters fit, check and repair fire doors, often in flats and public buildings. Many carpentry job ads ask for this work.
Where carpentry can take you
With experience, you could become a site supervisor or a construction project manager, or move into estimating or contracts management. Some carpenters build sets for theatre, film and TV, or restore historic buildings.
Others run maintenance for large organisations such as hospitals and housing associations, or work for themselves. Colleges hire carpentry lecturers too, and some fund teacher training for experienced carpenters who haven't taught before.
Questions people ask
What qualifications do you need to be a carpenter or joiner?
You don't need any qualifications to start, as Level 1 college courses take beginners and many apprenticeship employers ask for none. Most building sites will ask you for the blue CSCS card to work there as a carpenter. You get it with a Level 2 NVQ or a finished apprenticeship. A college diploma teaches you the skills but isn't enough for that card on its own.
Which CSCS card does a carpenter need?
A carpenter needs the blue Skilled Worker card, which comes with a Level 2 NVQ or a finished apprenticeship. A Level 3 NVQ or apprenticeship gets you the gold card.
On the way, apprentices get a free Apprentice card. A Level 2 or 3 carpentry diploma, or signing up for the NVQ, gets you a Trainee card. With at least a year's experience in the last three years, you can get a one-year Experienced Worker card while you do the NVQ.
Every card needs the CITB health, safety and environment test, passed in the last two years. The green Labourer card is only for labourers, so it won't get you on site as a carpenter.
What is a fast-track NVQ in carpentry?
A fast-track carpentry NVQ is the same Level 2 or Level 3 NVQ, for people who already work as carpenters. It proves the skills you have, so it isn't a quick way to learn the trade.
You're assessed at work over a few months, or in about two days of tests at a centre. The centre route, called the experienced worker practical assessment (EWPA), is typically for people with around five years in the trade.
How long does it take to become a carpenter?
It takes about two years to become a carpenter through a Level 2 apprenticeship. If you start at college with no experience, you'll usually do Level 1 then Level 2, over two years full time.
The NVQ then typically takes three to six months once you're in work. Going on to Level 3 adds about 15 months as an apprentice, or a year at college.
Can you become a carpenter at 30 or older?
Yes, carpentry apprenticeships have no upper age limit, so adults can apply. Some colleges also run part-time and evening carpentry courses for adults. A short taster course is a good way to find out if the trade suits you before you commit.
How do you get a carpentry apprenticeship, and how long is it?
You apply for an apprentice job with an employer, such as a builder, a carpentry firm or a joinery workshop. Vacancies are on JobYay and on the government's Find an apprenticeship service, and the employer arranges your training. The Level 2 apprenticeship takes about 24 months.
Read the carpentry apprenticeship guide
How much does a carpentry apprenticeship pay?
Carpentry apprenticeships on JobYay mostly pay about £16,600 a year. You're paid for your training time too.
The least you can get is £8 an hour while you're under 19 or in your first year. After that, if you're 19 or over, it's at least the minimum wage for your age, which is £12.71 an hour from 21.
Are there evening or part-time carpentry courses?
Yes, some colleges run evening and part-time carpentry courses at Level 1, 2 and 3, many of them for adults. Classes are often one or two evenings a week over the college year. Most carpentry courses are full time in the day, and JobYay lists no weekend courses at the moment.
Are there free carpentry courses?
Yes, some carpentry courses are free, depending on things such as your age, your income and the qualifications you already have. JobYay's eligibility checker shows what you could do free near you. On an apprenticeship, you pay nothing for your training.
Can you learn carpentry online?
No, carpentry is learned hands-on in a workshop, and every carpentry course JobYay lists is taught in person. The NVQ isn't online either. You're assessed at your work, or at a centre for the experienced worker practical assessment.
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