Carpenter
What the work is
Constructs, erects, installs, renovates and repairs structures and fixtures of wood, plywood, lightweight steel, wallboard and other materials.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Interprets plans, specifications and drawings to determine carpentry materials required, dimensions and installation procedures
- Sets out, constructs and erects wall and ceiling frames, constructs eaves, and erects roof trusses
- Constructs and installs structures such as walls, flooring systems, external stairs, panelling and partitions using mechanical fasteners such as nails, screws and brackets
- Fits and installs windows and doors into wall frames, and installs associated furnishings such as hinges, handles and locks
- Repairs and renovates wooden structures, including by removing and replacing damaged or deteriorated timber
- May construct and install formwork for concrete structures
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a building and joinery business doing home extensions, decks, doors, stairs and workshop-built windows. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A staircase you built in the workshop fits the opening on the first try
- The last board of a deck goes down and the family steps out onto it at once
- A tricky roof frame comes together and every piece sits where the plan says
Hard days
- A rainy week with an open frame and a client who wants to see progress
- Finding rotten timber behind a wall nobody thought to check
- A change to the plans after the frame is up
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 372132, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.