What does a Carpenter & Joiner actually do?

The short version

Carpenters and joiners work wood across the whole build — first-fix framing on site, second-fix finish where every mitre shows, or bench joinery in the workshop. It's the most versatile trade, which is why it produces so many foremen and site managers.

The pitch: a well-trodden apprenticeship, steady demand across new-build, retrofit and maintenance, and a natural route into supervision. The catch: employed rates sit a rung below the licensed trades, and the well-paid end usually means going self-employed or stepping up to run work.

Entry routes that actually work

• Carpentry & Joinery apprenticeship (Level 2 → Level 3 Craft) — the route that means "qualified" to employers.
• College diploma then site time — a Level 2/3 diploma gets you started; the NVQ portfolio is what gets you the card.
• NVQ + CSCS blue card — the site-access qualification main contractors actually check for.