Joiner

To be a joiner, you'll need to be able to install and repair wood in homes, shops, bars, and offices. You could also build sets for film and TV.

You'll need to be able to carefully measure and cut wood to the required size and shape to make things like doors, floors, and fitted furniture. Then you'll need to put it together and fix it inside the building.

You'll need an eye for detail, good maths skills for working out measurements, and the ability to follow technical plans.

Your tasks might include:

• cutting and shaping timber for floorboards, skirting boards and window frames

• making and assembling doors, window frames, staircases and fitted furniture

• fitting wooden structures, like floor and roof joists, roof timbers, staircases, partition walls, and door and window frames (first fixings)

• installing skirting boards, door surrounds, doors, cupboards and shelving, as well as door handles and locks (second fixings)

• building temporary wooden supports to hold concrete in place while it sets, for example building foundations (formwork)

• making and fitting interiors in shops, bars, restaurants, offices and public buildings

• constructing stage sets for theatre, film and TV productions

Taking an organised approach to your work and being aware of health and safety requirements would be important.

In this job you could be doing work to help the environment. You could: 

• make homes more energy-efficient by fitting double glazed windows or solar panels 

• use wood from sustainably managed sources 

• recycle offcuts and other surplus materials from jobs 

Find out more about green jobs. 

• Construction Industry Training Board

• GoConstruct - More about the carpenter role on the careers website from the Construction Industry Training Board

• Construction Skills Certification Scheme – Learn more about CSCS cards

• GoConstruct - More about the bench joiner role on the careers website from the Construction Industry Training Board