Carpenter

While all carpentry occupations deal with woodworking, there are a number of venues qualified carpenters may enter.  Tradesmen may focus on assembling items such as models or furniture, or they may focus on constructing buildings.  Employment can include rough, finish, trim, ship, or roof carpentry.  The majority of these occupations require professionals to work outside, and involve a great deal of manual labor. 

Rough carpentry includes the construction of large projects that generally do not require parts to be neat or polished.  Duties may include framing and/or roofing of residential, industrial, or commercial structures.  Framers create the basic support skeletons for new structures.  Roofers construct rafters, beams, trusses, and other joints necessary for the base of the roof. 

Finish, trim, and ship carpenters complete more detailed work, and ensure all pieces fit intricately together.  Finish carpenters are often involved in making models, furniture, cabinets, and other fine wood workings.  There is little room for inaccuracy in these occupations.  Trim carpenters make trim, molding, mantles, and baseboards for homes.  All pieces must be symmetrical, uniform, and polished.  Ship carpenters are accountable for building, repairing, and maintaining a number of ships.  They may be employed in various industries, but the ability to work quickly when making repairs is often necessary. 

Due to the amount of manual labor associated with carpenter jobs, professionals often endure long and strenuous days.  While injury is always a risk in any construction field, these professionals must use extreme caution when working from heights, making the ability to maintain balance necessary.  A false step in any carpentry job could lead to slips, falls, cuts, or bruises, therefore professionals must always be aware of their surroundings.  Throughout the day, professionals may endure standing, bending, kneeling, and/or climbing for extended periods of time.  In spite of the hazards often associated with these careers, many professionals are drawn to the flexibility and stable environment that these positions offer. 

Experts are projecting an occupational growth at the same rate of average industries.  While the increasing use of prefabricated (pre assembled) parts and advances with adhesives have adversely affected the needs for carpenters, outlooks for these positions are relatively good.  They will be needed to replace candidates leaving the workforce due to retirement and turnover, but the industries growth will mandate additional professionals.  Increases in population and remodeling markets will ensure the need for carpenters. 

For more information on carpentry careers, please visit the following sites:

• Waukesha County Technical College
• National Park Service
• Minuteman Regional High School
• State of Michigan
• Woodcraft

If you are searching for a carpenter position or are looking for a trades candidate, visit iHireBuildingTrades.  We are a niche job board specializing in careers within the trades industry.