“When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back.”
Julia Child
Carpentry is perhaps one of the more ancient professions with ever strong viability even in the present era. Over the centuries, carpenters have created many outstanding masterpieces in the form of furniture, musical instruments, facades, and house finishes, and many others. If, since childhood, you have been fond of playing with plasticine, sculpting, and creating beautiful new things, a carpentry course is the right path for you. It certainly requires manual skills and a great sense of aesthetics.
Nowadays, we associate a carpenter more with the construction and finishing of a house and making everyday objects and furniture. Still, you can also choose a more artistic path and create, for example, musical instruments. Qualified craftsmen and carpenters can work independently in their studios or be employed in factories and via general contractors. Their task is to plan, build, and repair various buildings and structures. In their work, carpenters use wood, plastic, fiberglass, plasterboard, and other building materials. In the case of large contractors, carpenters are involved in the construction of wooden molds for pouring concrete into tunnels, bridges, canals, and other public projects. Working in small studios requires a more precise work with details and an artistic sense.
Is carpentry a good pathway to get PR in Australia?
A career in carpentry industry is an excellent way for Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia. The tremendous need for Carpentry grads is pointed out in the most wanted occupations Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) and Combined List of Eligible Skilled Occupations. This means immigration has classified builders as a job in high demand in Australia. Trade jobs also have a high demand in Australia, and you will get work very quickly.
After completing the carpentry course, you can launch your career right away and gain your work experience by entering the Temporary Graduate Visa – depending on your qualifications, for eighteen months to two years. It is a pathway from study to industry-relevant employment in Australia, which will count towards Permanent Residency.
How long does it take to learn carpentry?
Generally, carpentry studies to become a skilled carpenter requires 18 months to 4 years in Australia. The average carpentry course duration is 3 Years. But to become a very skilled craftsman in this profession requires lots of practice. You can gain it through apprenticeship programs and your work experience over the years.
Best Channels to enter the Carpentry Industry
The Best carpentry courses:
- Certificate III in Carpentry
- Certificate III in Carpentry and Joinery
- Certificate II in Building and Construction Pre-apprenticeship
- Certificate II in Construction Pathways
- The Certificate III in Joinery
- Certificate III in Shopfitting
Best Providers for carpentry courses:
- Trade Institute of Victoria
- RMIT University
- Holmesglen Institute
- TAFE
- Ever thought College of Construction
- The Derwent Valley School of Creative Woodwork
- Melbourne Polytechnic
- Federation University Australia
- Canberra Institute of Technology
- GOTAFE
- Victoria University
- Ever thought College of Construction
- Trinity Institute
- Melbourne School of Fine Woodworking
- Sturt School for Wood
How to become a Carpenter in Australia?
To gain official recognition as a Carpenter, you need to complete a Certificate III in Carpentry CPC30211 or a Certificate III in Carpentry and Joinery CPC32011 in a TAFE institution. This program covers subjects such as algebra, geometry, physics, utilization of tools, architectural drawing, machine woodworking, identification and measurement of materials, project management and estimating, and many more. It prepares you to work in residential and commercial areas.
Working on a construction site in Australia also requires doing construction induction training and get a “White Card” through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
What does a carpenter do?
As a qualified carpenter, you will be a craftsman who installs, builds, repairs, creates wooden frames, foundations, walls, and installations in residential, commercial, and industrial projects. You will create all kinds of wooden creations, from entire building skeletons to non-standard floors, doors, windows. In general, you will work in the construction industry, creating things from wood, plywood, and wall panels. Each day of your work may vary depending on the specific project you will be working on. There are many possibilities for carpenters – you can work as a shop floor, frame carpenter, boarder, or green carpenter who uses materials to make buildings more energy-efficient and sustainable. Your work will involve studying building plans and drawings, choosing the right materials, and choosing the best way to install the elements. You will also work on the processing, cutting, and shaping of wooden elements used in the construction of houses or flats. Besides, you will work on creating building frames, roofs, and floors, assembling exterior components, doors, and window frames, and many other things.
What are the basic carpentry skills In Australia?
Carpenters must be skilled at:
- Renovations
- Building Construction
- Construction Industry
- Using Hand Tools
- Using Power Tools
Other critical skills include:
- Self-Motivation
- Punctual
- Physically Fit
- Good Mathematical Skills
- Construction Induction White Card
- Driving License
Is a carpenter same as a joiner?
Carpentry and joinery are construction professions. A joiner, or finish carpenter, is not recognized to be a carpenter. In simple words, joiners ‘join’ wood in a workshop, and carpenters construct the building elements and typically work on construction sites.
Is carpentry a good career in Australia?
As a skilled carpenter or joiner, you can follow the path of a lucrative, satisfying, and creative career. In this sector, you will be constantly projecting through is an ongoing process of learning and working and deepening your skills and knowledge of the building industry.
Employers prefer candidates who have substantial educational training combined with their work experience; therefore, grads of carpentry courses meet a high degree of employability.
The projected job growth for carpenters and joiners is 11.7 % by 2024 in Australia.
