Vocational.uk The route, drawn out

Construction & Building

Carpenter & Joiner

Cut, fit and fix timber — from roofs and studwork on site to staircases and doors made in a workshop.

High demand Can go self-employed Level 2 apprenticeship
Typical pay once qualified
£29,000 – £45,000
Training length
2 years
Apprenticeship standard
Carpentry and joinery
Where to train
290 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG 04EE · 5 stops · 2 years to qualify
  1. Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
  2. Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
  3. 2 years Fully qualified around £29k
  4. +3–5 years Experienced up to £45k
  5. Then Your own business you set the rate

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Carpentry splits into two paths and you pick one early. Site carpentry is first fix and second fix on buildings: floor joists, roof structures, stud walls, then doors, skirtings, architrave and stairs. Architectural joinery is bench work in a workshop, making the windows, doors, staircases and fitted furniture that someone else installs.

It is the most common trade in UK construction and the easiest to take self-employed, because the tools are portable and every building on earth needs one. Good second-fix joiners who finish neatly are never out of work.

A typical day

  • Interpret drawings and set out work accurately
  • First fix: floors, partitions, roof structures and door linings
  • Second fix: hanging doors, fitting skirting, architrave, stairs and kitchens
  • Use hand tools and portable power tools safely and precisely
  • Measure, mark and cut timber and sheet materials with minimal waste

How you get in

  • Most level 2 apprenticeships have no formal entry requirements
  • GCSE maths at grade 3 (D) or above helps — there is real geometry in roofing work
  • Good spatial awareness and patience with fine measurement
  • CSCS card needed for site work

Where it leads

  • Advanced carpentry and joinery (level 3) — complex roofs, heritage or bespoke work
  • Site supervisor or foreman
  • Self-employed joiner, then employing your own team
  • Specialise in shopfitting, formwork or heritage restoration

Where to train for this

290 colleges and training providers on our list cover Carpenter & Joiner training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 16
East of England 18
London 18
North East 19
North West 32
South East 26
South West 21
UK-wide 47
West Midlands 22
Yorkshire and the Humber 23
East Scotland 6
North Scotland 8
West Scotland 9
North Wales 2
South Wales 9
West Wales 2
Northern Ireland 9
Channel Islands 2
Isle of Man 1

Search these providers by town or type →