Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a carpenter? The carpentry industry is always changing and evolving, and with this in mind, it’s well worth considering the different types of carpenters, what a carpenter does, and what kind of skills you need to become a carpenter in Australia.
Luckily, we’ve answered all of these questions and more today to help you decide.
What is it Like to be a Carpenter in Australia?
This is a question that’s crucial to consider before taking on any carpentry role, as it may determine whether or not the position is actually right for your skills and preferences.
Fortunately, we’ve summarised some of the key points about the different types of carpenters, what a carpenter does, and their overall job roles as follows to help.
What Does a Carpenter Do?
Without a doubt, this is one of the most crucial first questions to consider if you’ve been wondering what it is like to be a carpenter in Australia. Luckily, it’s generally pretty simple to answer.
As standard, a carpenter is someone who constructs and builds different pieces and projects based on wooden frames.
Naturally, the exact specifications of every project may differ; with this in mind, many carpenters are also responsible for coming up with effective, reliable designs that meet the project specification and provide a durable, practical solution to an issue.
The Different Types of Carpenters
At this point, we’ve briefly clarified that carpenters generally construct things out of wood – but we can go into a lot more detail than that alone.
Indeed, the exact nature of a carpenter’s job role will usually depend on the type of carpenter that they are. Some of the most common types of carpenters in Australia include:
- Cabinet carpenters: owing to the wide amount of job potential, cabinet carpenters are often among the most common types of carpenters. As the name might suggest, cabinet carpenters are responsible for creating bespoke carpentry and creating other furnishings. Often, cabinet makers are hired for bespoke projects, although some may work with construction teams to provide larger quantities of furniture in one go.
- Deck builders: Wooden decking is becoming increasingly popular; as such, specialist deck builders are responsible for creating high-quality, reliable, and effective deck solutions. This includes aspects such as post and bream framing right through to decking installation.
- Formwork carpenters: not every project is ready to go. As such, formwork carpenters create temporary frames that can withstand the weight of a structure until it is secure enough to support itself.
- Rough framing carpenters: rough framing carpenters are usually responsible for creating the entire frame of a property building project, typically including floors, walls, stairs, and roofing.
- Finish trim carpenters: on the whole, finish trim carpenters follow the work provided by rough framing carpenters and complete a job to a finer level. This might include creating stair treads, baseboard trims, installing and creating cabinetry, and the like.
- Flooring installers: Wooden flooring can offer a stunning aesthetic for a property – however, it’s critical to get professional support to ensure that the flooring is effectively installed. Flooring installer carpenters help fix and level floors.
- Shipwrights: When it comes to carpentry, we usually think of furniture and cabinetry – however, shipwrights are also a type of carpenter, and they are responsible for providing professional ship repair, design, and building, usually in accordance with very specific instructions and guidance.
What Kind of Skills Do You Need to Be a Carpenter?
To become a carpenter in Australia, you will need numerous key skills to complete the job effectively. These include:
- The ability to read and understand blueprints
- Skills in blueprint creation and measurement taking
- Physical strength and dexterity; working as a carpenter can often require a great deal of strength to lift and manually manoeuvre wooden pieces
- Unique attention to detail to follow a project’s specifications closely and recognise errors
- Interpersonal and communication skills to work alongside other types of carpenters
How Much Does a Carpenter Earn in Australia?
How much does a carpenter earn in Australia? While the rate of pay depends on each individual, most advertised carpentry positions are valued between $40,000 and $80,000 per year.
Alternatively, you might be able to earn towards the higher end of this spectrum, or potentially more, as a self-employed carpenter.
How to Become a Carpenter in Australia?
At this point, we’ve clarified what it is like to be a carpenter in terms of the skills you need and the different types of carpenters. But how can you become a carpenter in Australia?
The most common way to become a professional carpenter in Australia is to undergo an apprenticeship, which will give you the skills you need to be a carpenter.
Ideally, you should choose an experienced local team to conduct your apprenticeship with. This can help you ensure you obtain valuable skills and experience from the apprenticeship overall.
Alternatively, you could undergo a Level 3 Carpentry certificate with a TAFE institution.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking to learn more about how to become a carpenter in Australia, we hope that today’s guide may have helped.
Indeed, there are numerous different types of carpenters, and understanding what it is like to be a carpenter may help you decide if the job is right for you overall.
If you’d like to find out more about what it is like to be a carpenter in Australia, please don’t hesitate to contact our expert labour hire team here at Fast Labour Hire – your go-to team for professional labour hire solutions.
