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Carpenter
Carpenters work with more than just wood, they also have to
have knowledge of fiberglass, plastic, and drywall. Some of the projects a
carpenter could be employed to do include the construction of buildings,
highways, bridges, docks, industrial plants, boats, ships, doors, and
partitions. As a carpenter you may find yourself building frames for concrete
pouring, laying wood floors, and installing cabinets. You could also specialize
in furniture construction, repair, and refinishing. It is important that a
carpenter follow building instructions and blueprints exactly. When a large
structure is being built, the plans must first be approved by an
inspector for safety. If a carpenter doesn't follow the plans exactly,
changing the structure, he may be endangering workers and others. Exact
measurements of lengths, angles, and heights are required for many carpentry
jobs. Similar to a brick mason, straight
lines and precise angles are necessary for a carpenter to be good at their job.
A carpenter can be self employed or work for a company and (in 2000) most make
between $9.50 and $21.00 an
hour. You can become a carpenter through on-the-job training, formal training
programs, or a vocational education. If you intend to get a vocational
education you can expect to take courses such as Carpentry Math, Cabinetry
Math, Design, Instillation, Estimating, and Blueprint Reading. Also,
apprenticeships are available through unions and local organizations.
Image used with permission of
Michigan Construction Careers |
Image courtesy of the
Northeastern University Credit Union |
Image courtesy of the
Alabama Construction Information Exchange |
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