It can be really stressful and overwhelming when choosing a career path. You may have many options in your list of what job to get into. You have to spend a lot of time thinking because you don’t want in the end to regret about it.
But now that you finally figured out the things you like and you made the final decision that being a carpenter is the one you want to pursue.
You are now asking what are the carpenter requirement do you need to start the process.
You must clearly know what is needed to become a carpenter. Not knowing what is required is a shot in the dark. Preparing to be a carpenter does not happen in an instant. It is important to have what it takes.
Here in this article, we laid down the general requirements, the education you need, the union requirements to become a journeyman and the essentials to land a job so that you can gather it and prepare for them.
Everything here is what you need to know. Read on…
Carpenter Education Requirements
Having education gives the knowledge and perspective of the job we want to get into. Almost all jobs have minimum educational requirements and without meeting these necessities, your application could be set aside or you won’t get an interview. So, what is the education needed to be a carpenter? Here are they:
A High school Diploma or a GED
The very least you need to have is a high school diploma or a GED certificate as its equivalent qualification. The high school diploma is an important requirement in many aspects of the trade:
- You will need this to submit as an admission requirement in the trade or vocation carpentry school when you’re taking a training course with them.
- The union or trade group will require you to submit a high diploma or a GED as part of the application requirement when you’re applying for an apprenticeship program with them.
- When applying for a job, the employer will routinely require you to submit a high school diploma. You have to furnish them a copy of it in order to save the employer time and money in verifying your education.
If you are a student who is still in high school, you can prepare for a career in carpentry by taking courses on basic mathematics, mechanical drawing, architectural drawing, blueprint reading, and other subjects that may be deemed necessary.
If you are a high school graduate you can advance your education by taking a carpentry apprenticeship training which is usually provided by a trade union, by a local union or by a contractor.
Completion of an Apprenticeship Training
The other educational requirement to become a trained carpenter is the completion of apprenticeship training. In order for you to earn certification as a carpenter, you will need to complete a three (3) to four (4)-year apprenticeship training that will expose you to actual job obligation and formal training. Doing so will enable you to obtain practical skill and on-the-job experience that will be helpful for you to get employment and better pay, though you will earn minimum wage being an apprentice.
Generally, if you are a graduate of an apprenticeship program, the employer will favor you because you have what it takes such as the formal education and the practical training required to be a carpenter. Having such as training is a definite advantage.
Such training is offered by a union or trades group, if you want to apply for this and you’re looking for a school to take this at, just click the state where you are on the menu, there you’ll the school directory.
Completion of Vocational training
Completion of a certificate or a degree from the vocational school or community college that offer such course is considered a useful educational requirement. You can find a lot of these schools in your area.
If you want to take this path, in this website, we prepared the directory of carpentry training schools where you can take the training at, just browse at the state where you are, there you can find the lists.
Enrolling in a course at the school or college is one way to acquire the education needed for a career as a carpenter.
Having an On-the-Job Experience as a Carpenter Helper
Everyone has to start from something. You can begin earning the education at the entry level as a carpenter helper since there are no specific educational requirements to become one.
By being a helper allows you to obtain hands-on experience to prepare you to become a carpenter. This is the very basic you can do to expose you with the other carpenters and tradespeople in order to earn the qualifications.
Although most carpenters learn the job by being an apprentice, many successful carpenters whom I have known started their careers by being a carpenter helper in the construction.
Carpenter Union Application Requirements
Carpenter union is a professional community or trades group that provides on-the-job training and formal teaching to their members. Members enjoy fair wages, safe working conditions and the opportunity to be a professional carpenter in the future and earn the title of a journeyman.
The most popular school in the US that offer apprenticeship training is Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training Fund or by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
If you would like to take the apprenticeship course with them, here are the requirements:
- A high school diploma or GED certificate as its equivalent or a transcript of record as proof your education.
- You need to be at least 18 years old, this is the minimum age required to work in the construction site which is a hazardous workplace.
- You need have in possession of a valid driver’s license.
- A recommendation letter either from present employer, a supervisor or a colleague who guarantees for your work performance.
- As admission requirement, you need to submit an updated resume with a recent photo of you
- Proof of legal residency or citizenship may be required.
- Certificate of completion OSHA 10 for Construction safety training, other relevant certificates to increase your chance of getting accepted as an apprentice.
If you want to be an apprentice in the union and you can do a search online to find a school nearest to you that offer such a program. But we made that task much simpler for you. In his website, you will find the directory of vocational school, community colleges and unions that offer such program, just click the state on the menu where you are situated.
If You’re a Carpenter Journeyman, Here are What the Employer May Require from You:
A journeyman is a trained and professional carpenter who had finished an apprenticeship program who work in the residential and commercial construction projects, government agencies and other remodeling companies.
Employers require journeyman to have a high school diploma, a valid driver’s license, be at least 18 years old and above, pass a substance abuse test and physical exam and have previous experience as a carpenter that is usually 3 years at the minimum, depending on what the employer wants.
As a journeyman, you must know how to read blueprints, know the city building code requirements, safety protocols at the workplace. You must know how to erect and build scaffold platforms, work at heights or in confined spaces, climb up ladders, standing for a prolonged period of time, you are also responsible that the work is precise and in accordance with the building standard. You will work with other tradesmen in the project. The duties and responsibilities are diverse.
Having varied tasks and responsibilities, journeyman earns much higher than the ordinary carpenter. The job outlook for a journeyman carpenter expected to grow in the next coming decades. The main driver for growth is the boom in the construction and housing industries.
If You Want to Work in Construction, Here are What You Need
The construction site is a more hazardous place compare to the other workplaces. The activities are endless, you could find scaffolders erecting platforms, forklift operators transporting materials, electricians working at heights, and other dangerous activities. With that being said, construction carpenter education requirements are strict.
- You need to have completion of OSHA 10 and 30 Construction Safety Training, if you don’t have one yet, click here.
- You need to have a high school diploma or GED certificate
- You need to have previous work experience in the construction, the length of experience required will be determined by the employer which is usually at least two (2) years in the field.
- You need to have a completion of apprenticeship training.
- You must attest to follow safety protocols of the employer as the construction site is a more risky place to work in.
- You need to have reliable transportation since work assignment could be in remote areas.
- Although, license and certification are not required to be a carpenter in the construction.
Other soft skills you are required to have are:
- Be an active listener – you need to absorb the information of what others are saying and taking time to understand the point are an important quality to be able to follow the instructions.
- You need to be a good communicator – you need to talk to others in the workplace to convey messages effectively and make sure they perceive it correctly.
- You need to be a good reading comprehension - you need to be able to read blueprints and mechanical drawings and other procedures and implement it accordingly.
- You need to be able to exercise critical thinking – you need to know the strength or weakness and come out with an alternative solution to the problem.
- You need to have organizational skill and attention to detail – you to balance work assignments effectively and efficiently in order to do work in multitasks if needed.
We all know that construction is a high hazard workplace, activities are everywhere. It is where almost conceivable danger exists, this why OSHA is very strict when it comes to construction work. If you will work in the construction, the ten (10) OSHA standards that must be adhered to are the following:
- Ladders
- Head protection
- Hazard communication
- Scaffolding
- Fall protection (training requirements)
- Excavations (general requirements)
- Construction (general safety and health provisions)
- Excavations (requirements for protective systems)
- Electrical (wiring methods, design and protection)
- Fall protection (scope, application, definitions)
The training must be conducted prior to commencing work with such activities. If you don’t have training yet on these, ask your employer, usually, it is their obligation to supply you with such training.
Jobs in the Construction is a progressive occupation. It is something that will last and flourish no matter what comes down on the industry. The growth for construction workers will continue to rise in the next coming years. With the flourishing industry of construction, housing, road maintenance and bridge building and other infrastructure is the main reason why the demand will continue to grow.
Here are What Generally Required from You for a Carpenter Job
The carpenter job requirements are varied. But typically, whether you work in the private or public work project, these are what you need to have/be able:
- You need to be able to read blueprints and follow building plans in order to meet the needs of the project.
- Be able to perform important tasks such as concrete setting, roofing, scaffold erecting, assembling ladders, painting, tiling, plastering, cabinet making, installing lights and fixtures, bricklaying, plumbing, etc.
- Be able and follow the company’s safety policies and maintain a clean workplace and be safety-conscious.
- Be able to document work progress and present written reports to the supervisor or team leader.
- You need to have the basic skill in interpreting drawing and architectural plans.
- You need to be calm working at heights and in confined areas.
- You need to be able to follow instructions accurately from superior.
- You need to have an understanding of the current building and safety regulation of the government.
- The responsibilities of carpenters vary depending on what type of job they’re working on. But commonly, they are used to read blueprints and follow building plans and adhere to city building codes.
If you think getting a job as a carpenter is easy since there are no specific requirements, think again. Getting a job is not as simple as 1-2.3 It requires long preparation and intensive training. Employers prefer those candidates with such qualifications and experience.
You can gain knowledge by taking a short course or a degree from the school or university. It is one of the ways you can do to enter this profession.
If you don’t have a job experience yet, you can get a job in the construction or remodeling project as a carpenter helper to learn the basic tools carpenters use and to know the tricks of the trade. This is what most people do to get onto the track of becoming a carpenter.
Other Important Qualities to be a Carpenter
- You need to have attention to detail – there are a lot of measurements and cutting needed for materials and reading blueprint accurately, thus it requires you to have good attention to every detail to prevent materials from getting wasted and damaged.
- You need to have math skills – since most of the time you cut and do materials measurements, and perform the modification.
- You need to have good eye-to-hand coordination – the reason is to avoid injury and make incorrect measurement damaging the materials.
- Have a problem-solving skill – you need to alter existing materials and make an adjustment in a timely manner when required.
- Good familiarization in the use of hand and power tools – hammer, tape measure, pencils, nail puller, speed square, levels, chisels are examples of the hand tool which are easy to use; but you also have an understanding in the use of power tools such as circular saw, reciprocating saw, nail guns, power drills, etc.
- You need to have good stamina – the nature of the work of a carpenter is physically tiring, it requires you to be in good physical and health conditions.
To Make a Conclusion
Now that you have thoroughly understood the requirements, you will now be able to prepare yourself and pocket. Don’t be discouraged by the money you have to spend, the important is you earn the right education and qualifications to be a carpenter. You can easily recuperate the investment in just a short amount of time once you are employed.
Getting prepared for the carpenter requirements will surely save you time and even some money for the future ahead.
Just be remember, the importance of being prepared is the key to be successful.
