Few careers are more rewarding than carpentry. You get to work with your hands, spend time outdoors and create structures which make a real impact on people’s lives. The demand for carpenters in Australia is always increasing, and with the right qualifications you can find work across a range of interesting fields. 

Read on to find out more about becoming a carpenter in Australia, exploring the option of studying building online and the opportunities you’ll have along the way. 

Research Time

Do you know what kind of carpenter you’d like to be? Just like the building and construction industry, carpentry is a diverse field. Before you become a carpenter in Australia, it’s important to think about the work you’re interested in doing and the carpentry courses you might want to enrol in.

To help break it down, here are some common types of carpenters: 

• Joiner carpenter
• Framework carpenter
• Formwork carpenter
• Green carpenter

It’s important to know roughly what type of carpentry you’re interested in, as it will help you find the right type of apprenticeship and the relevant courses. Don’t panic though, you can always change your mind and gain experience in other areas. 

While there aren’t any educational prerequisites for doing an apprenticeship, there are a few qualities that will help you succeed:

• Be good with your hands
• Have good attention to detail
• Have decent mathematical skills
• Great communication skills
• The ability to work with others
• Be in reasonably good shape

Starting your apprenticeship 

To become a carpenter in Australia, you’ll need to do an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with structured learning from a registered provider such as CWBTS, and is the most common first step into the building and construction industry.

For example, you’ll need to undertake a carpentry course such as the CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry. This certificate is the starting point for your career, giving you the skills and knowledge you need to carry out everyday tasks and process.

Most apprenticeships last around four years. Throughout this time you’ll do everything from creating tables, chairs and cabinets to making repairs, inspecting damaged structures, reading blueprints and more. You’ll also get an idea of how businesses are run and what’s expected.

After successfully completing your apprenticeship, you’re a qualified carpenter. From here, the next step in your career path is totally up to you. You might choose to continue working for your current employer, and take on bigger or more complicated projects. On the other hand, you might decide to step out on your own and start a business. 

To really open things up, many tradies decide to continue their education, looking into higher-level building and construction courses.

Stepping it Up a Notch

Carpentry lays the foundations for the rest of your career. And if you’re driven to take that extra step, you’ll find it easy to start building on your skills and experience. We offer a range of carpentry courses that have clear career pathways.

As a graduate of the CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry, you’ll be eligible to enrol in our CPC40110 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building). With a qualification like this under your belt, you’ll have the skills and knowledge required to become a licensed builder, kickstart your own business, or work towards getting employed in more supervisory roles.

From here, you can move into our CPC50210 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building). This qualification will help pursue a career as a project supervisor, building manager, site supervisor, estimator, project manager or foreperson.

Like in most industries, the more experience you have, the higher your salary will be. Qualified carpenters are well paid in Australia – and working as an apprentice means you’ll be earning and learning the whole time.

Build your Connections 

When it comes to becoming a carpenter in Australia, there are definite advantages to having solid connections in the industry. At CWBTS, we are here to provide you with the highest level of vocational education and training. Additionally, we have already developed connections with a wide community of skilled industry partners. 

Our curriculum and training services fully prepare students for a constantly evolving workforce. Through our building and construction courses, you’ll learn from the brightest minds in the industry and have access to our extensive employer networks. You can even take building courses online. 

The bottom line? To get your carpentry career underway, it pays to start on the right foot – and that’s exactly what we can offer.

Become a Carpenter in Australia Today!

Becoming a carpenter in Australia is a fantastic opportunity. The work is rewarding, the job sites are varied and you’ll have many opportunities to find your niche and carve out a solid career.

If you want to know more about how to become a carpenter, or what kind of carpentry courses you can study, contact us and we will happily walk you through the process. 

We know you might be a busy tradie by day, which is why we offer building courses online too. To know more about our range of online building and construction courses, get in touch with us here.