Course Details

Course Duration: 15 months (not including EPA period)

Delivery method: 1 day a week at our Training Centre and site visits from our assessors. Access to an online portfolio.

Assessment methods: A combination of observations, centre based practical and onsite assessments, professional discussions, written and oral questioning, online and paper-based tests and portfolio evidence gathering. A final End Point Assessment.

Entry requirements: No prior experience is required; however, learners must be working in the construction/carpentry industry. Entry will be based on initial assessments and an interview.

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths (or equivalent) will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. This will be incorporated into your Apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship Profile

The broad purpose of the occupation is working with building materials (most often wood) to create and install building components.  This typically involves shaping and cutting materials, installing finished materials like partitions, doors, staircases, window frames, mouldings, timber floor coverings and erecting structural components such as floor joists and roofs. All work needs to be carried out safely, using the appropriate tools and to the quality specified.

Topics Covered

• Health, safety and welfare
• Current legislation and official guidance
• Control equipment and PPE
• Interpret and produce relevant information from drawings, specifications and work instructions
• Effective communication
• Timber characteristics, qualities, uses, sustainability, limitations and defects.
• Hand tools/power tools (safe use, storage and maintenance)
• The principles of building construction including foundations, roofs, walls, floors, utilities and services, BIM and environmental and sustainability considerations.
• How to plan work activities for self and others in order to meet schedules and deadlines.

Skills Developed

• Independent working: responsibility for completing own work and monitoring the work of others
• Working effectively: work in a reliable and productive manner, lead others by example
• How to communicate and work with others effectively in the workplace

• Identify and apply safe working practices
• Plan and undertake work practices productively
• Estimate resource quantities to carry out work eg quantity of fixings, length of timber
• Mark out and form advanced woodworking joints including splayed and plumb joints Adaptability
• Time management
• Logical thinking
• Complex carpentry or joinery work to high standards and demanding tolerances including measuring, marking out, fitting, cutting, splicing, finishing, positioning and securing.

In addition to the core skills and knowledge requirements, this occupation includes two different options and people must choose to undertake one of the following specialisms:

Advanced Site Carpenter

Advanced Site Carpenters work on building sites in the construction of domestic and commercial properties, preparing and installing complex and bespoke building components. They prepare, construct and erect irregular and complex roof structures. The knowledge and skills for this pathway will enable you to:

• Install complex and non-standard doors and window frames, shaped door and hatch linings, partitions with openings and changes of direction and staircases with turns.
• Install accessible service encasements, bespoke wall/ floor units and fitments, panelling and stair components (e.g. balustrades, handrails and spindles to staircases with turns).
• Erect inclined roofs with gables, roof verges and eaves, including finishings, joists and roof coverings, dormers and features.
• Repair and or replace frames, mouldings, floor or flat roof joist coverings, door and window ironmongery, window components, structural joists and rafters, window components, guttering and downpipes

Advanced Architectural Joiner

Advanced Architectural Joiners are employed in a workshop producing complex building components by setting out, marking out and producing assembled components requiring advanced skilled work including the full range of woodworking machines. There will sometimes be a need for refurbishment/repair work of bespoke pieces. They have an in-depth knowledge of a range of manufacturing components from a range of hardwoods and softwoods. The knowledge and skills for this pathway will enable you to:

• Set out complex work tasks for non-standard architectural joinery products, including complex door sets, doors, windows, units and fitments, staircases (straight and with turns) and products with single/double curvature features.
• Mark out accurately from setting out details for the manufacture of complex and shaped (circular and circular on circular) doors, opening windows, units and fitments and staircases.
• Manufacture complex and shaped (circular and circular on circular) architectural joinery products including doors, windows with opening lights, units and fitments, panelling/cladding, staircases (straight and with turns) and veneers
• Set up and use fixed machinery such as circular saws, planers, thicknessers, bandsaws, morticers, tenoners, spindle moulders, grinders (including tool sharpening) and sanders.
• Use and maintain marking tools, hand tools, power tools and associated equipment required for advanced work.