becoming a carpenter at 40 years oldYou heard some myths about starting a carpentry career at 40 years old, chances are these misconceptions preventing you from pursuing your interest at this age.

Maybe you think employers may consider you too old to be part of their workforce, you’re wrong. Being 40 is not too old to be a carpenter. The biggest things they look for when hiring candidates are the attitude and enthusiasm toward the job. They have the tendency to employ a 40-year old than a teen.

If you are reliable and work hard, you have the best chance of getting hired. Everything else can be learned but if you have the right attitudes, you have the advantages over other guys vying for the same position. With a good attitude you’ll become indispensable for the company – prove your worth to them and you will be fine. As a matter of fact, when I handled a house renovation last year, the best rookies I’ve worked with are at their 40s.

 

 

We all know that is a tough job, you are going to be sore, so it is important to be in good physical shape. If you are able to climb ladders, carry stacks of lumbers and bags of cement, you’ll be alright. Age is irrelevant, your physical shape is everything in this job.
Carpentry is not hard to learn, with the basic training and mentor who will teach you how to do the craft, definitely you can learn fast. Here’s how to become a carpenter…

How to Become a Carpenter

Being a carpenter is a type of job that comes with a lot of perks and privileges. You can build your own home or renovate someone else’s house; you can even do a contracting business. Either way, with this type of work, you should be able to bring in good money.

Now that you’ve made your decision and you want to be a carpenter in your age of 40; you probably have some questions spiraling in your mind – how to become a carpenter and what are the qualifications:

A career in carpentry begins in getting the right skills and education and you can do this by acquiring a degree or certificate. Enrolling in a training course offered by a community college or private training provider is the fastest way to go. Another option you can take is by contacting a local union in your local and see if they have openings for their carpentry apprenticeship program. If you would like to start from the bottom up and acquire valuable hands-on experience, being an apprentice is a good way to be a journeyman.

There are some qualifications you need to be a carpenter at 40 years old. Just like I’ve said above, you need in good tip top shape since carpentry is physically demanding work, you need to be able to lift move lumbers and concrete and be able to work several pounds of tools around your waist all day. You also need to be good at math to determine the right measurement and computation. You also need to learn how to operate power tools safely aside from the hand tools and lastly you need to be able to read blueprints and drawings to determine the specifications and materials required for the project.
You need to have a clear idea of what you get into and what to expect from the job. If you put in the time and effort into thinking if this job is the right for you, you should be good to go.

 

 

Changing a Career at 40

People at age 40 and above have a lot of experience to bring to new a profession. If you are unhappy with the job you’re doing right now or feeling you want to do more, changing a career could be the viable solution. And is being a carpenter the first in your list? There are a number of good reasons why pursuing this career is worth the time and effort.

  • There’s a wide variety of job paths you can get into. Learning the trade will allow you to chase a wide number of jobs as a carpenter. It is one of the most versatile industry you can go in. After completing the carpentry training, you might choose a career in one of this field: as a residential carpenter, a commercial carpenter, an industrial carpenter, a cabinet maker, a furniture assistant, be a woodworking assistant/operator, and especially you can work in the construction – the sector you can get the best opportunity.

  • There are big opportunities to make a big paycheck. If you are an experienced carpenter, the potential to earn good wages is attainable - you can become a lead carpenter or you can even start a contracting business of your own. But since everyone starts as a beginner, you can begin by being an apprentice or as a helper. But even at the entry level, you can make good money. If you want to become a carpenter apprentice, you can apply in the local union, it takes about three years to complete the training program, from there you can climb to journeyman position.

  • The continuous demand for qualified carpenter has never stopped. As the population continues to rise, so as the demand for the qualified carpenter. The need to construct more buildings, houses, hospitals, roads and bridges and many other infrastructure projects is main reason of the high demand for carpenters. It is a good occupation, if you take the time and effort to become good at you do, you won’t be short of work.

  • You can have enjoyment in the job and personal satisfaction. The reason why you want to become a carpenter at 40 is that you want to pursue a craft you are happy with. You want enjoyment while doing the job and satisfaction in what you’re doing. You enjoy doing things with your hands and put your heart into it. Start a job you are passionate about and love to do and everything will follow.

A decision to make a career change can be overwhelming for many people. You want to have good reasons and figure out what you’re going to do and once you know that it is worth the effort, changing career will come as a great relief to pursue you want to do until you reach the age you want to retire.

One piece of advice if you want to make a career shift. Try not to be discouraged by the difficulties circling in your head. Don’t let these hold you back. Transitioning to another job at 40 years old can be worrying. Find a solution to make it suitable with your current financial situation (you may still have kids or a mortgaged home), it is crucial to make sure you put a lot of thought before doing the transition because you don’t want to commit a mistake in choosing the next career to pursue.

 

 

Is Getting a Job at 40 Years Old Hard?

Let us face the fact that many people are having a hard time getting a job at a certain situation of the economy. It gets even harder when you’re 40-plus. But with the right education and skill, you can beat the barrier. That’s why many people are getting into trade occupations such as in carpentry. With just a short period of training or apprenticeship, you can make a decent pay and flourishing career. With these few tips, you can actually get positive results:

Prove to your employer you’ve learned the skills and want to learn new things. Employers have a misconception that old boys have a difficult time learning new things. People at their 40 or beyond can learn new skills. Show your mindset to a prospective employer by showing them proof – certificate and pass experiences perhaps, that you have what it takes to be a qualified carpenter and you are what they’re looking for the position. Make it clear to them how you can apply your past experiences to contribute to them.

Present a positive mental attitude toward the employer. Just what I’ve said at the beginning of this article, attitude is important. In this industry, you got to be technically qualified as well as you need to have the right attitude. There are hiring managers who valued experienced workers at their 40s because they have a professional good network, historical perspective and experience that contributed to your attitude that young workers don’t have.

To Conclude This Post

If you think becoming a carpenter at 40 years old is hard, then it is time to straight that misconception. It not difficult to be a carpenter at this stage. There are even old boys who get into this career at their 50s and 60s, and still they perform well than young guns. You just need to have the right attitude and everything will fall into place.

 

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