Carpentry

d-redser

Hi,
My partner who is 28 is looking everywhere to do a carpentry course. He already done his time in welding but wants to get out of that and into woodwork.

Fas wont help at all.

Can anyone give advice??

Thanks

kadman

How about woodwork classes in the evening at the local school ect, or something similar.

Is he currently working as a welder, and has he any woodwork experience at all, or is he a complete novice.

kadman:)

cormie

Just don't make the mistake I made by thinking carpentry would be anything like woodwork that I did in school. I spent 2 years doing carpentry and it wasn't for me at all. I'm doing a furniture design course now and it's much better suited to me, it's brilliant. It's a FETAC thing and you do woodturning, carving, stained glass and furniture design/cabinet making. Much more enjoyable then the carpentry (for me anyway!)

d-redser

kadman wrote:

How about woodwork classes in the evening at the local school ect, or something similar.

Is he currently working as a welder, and has he any woodwork experience at all, or is he a complete novice.

kadman:)

He is a complete novice, but he is very interested in carpentry. He has done decking for his mother and family and in my opinion it looks really professional. He wants to be able to fit kitchens, convert attics stuff like that but all the courses we have looked at, he needs to either be

1. unemployed or
2. an apprentice already working in the carpentry trade.

How does he get his foot in the door???

JoeB-

Hi

He's 28 and highly motivated, that should be enough to get onto course... unless these courses are subsidised by the state, i.e. FAS, then it might be impossible... but the DIT colleges (i.e. Bolton St) should have night courses...

I'm currently doing a woodturning course at night in Bolton st... very good price IMO, 237 for ten weeks, 3 hours on Monday night, mostly practical work and we have a lathe each... teacher is gas but excellent woodturner... there were no entry requirements apart from having the money...

As Cormie pointed out, carpentry and cabinet making are different skills, similar yes but completely different working life...

Decking, roofing, converting attics, staircases, hanging doors and door frames... that's carpentry.. mostly working on site, no workshop required... no finishing or painting usually...

Making cabinets, furniture, tables, making kitchen cabinets is all cabinet making, usually done in a workshop... site work may be only 10% - 20%. All furniture has to be sprayed etc. etc.

A good handyman could fit modern kitchens.. although in general people with more experience and better tools should do a better job...

Cheers
Joe

d-redser

JoeBallantine wrote:

Hi

He's 28 and highly motivated, that should be enough to get onto course... unless these courses are subsidised by the state, i.e. FAS, then it might be impossible... but the DIT colleges (i.e. Bolton St) should have night courses...

As Cormie pointed out, carpentry and cabinet making are different skills, similar yes but completely different working life...

Decking, roofing, converting attics, staircases, hanging doors and door frames... that's carpentry.. mostly working on site, no workshop required... no finishing or painting usually...

Making cabinets, furniture, tables, making kitchen cabinets is all cabinet making, usually done in a workshop... site work may be only 10% - 20%. All furniture has to be sprayed etc. etc.

A good handyman could fit modern kitchens.. although in general people with more experience and better tools should do a better job...

Cheers
Joe

Thanks for your reply Joe. He can do most of those things i.e. decking, flooring, hanging doors etc but he just wants the qualifications. He feels that he needs the paper at the end of the course in order to go work for himself... He's not too interested in woodturning tho! I told him of that course in Bolton Street when it was starting but his interest lies in carpentry.

Does he actually need to be qualified to go out on his own or to go work with someone else????

Carpenter

d-redser wrote:

Thanks for your reply Joe. He can do most of those things i.e. decking, flooring, hanging doors etc but he just wants the qualifications. He feels that he needs the paper at the end of the course in order to go work for himself... He's not too interested in woodturning tho! I told him of that course in Bolton Street when it was starting but his interest lies in carpentry.

Does he actually need to be qualified to go out on his own or to go work with someone else????

The answer is no BUT he will not last a week if does not know his stuff lets just say he has to shutter in a stairs on site and makes a bags off it what will happen ? this is why we spend years learning our trade there is people out there doing it (yes) but a real chippie will see them a mile away a 10 week run in collage might help him but 20 years on site will make a chippie hope this helps

cormie

Sounds like he has his mind set on carpentry.

Best bet, if he wants to become a fully qualified carpenter, is to start at the bottom as a first year apprentice and work his way up, 4 years, he'll be 32, it's a long haul but at the end he'll be fully qualified and be earning a packet if he's got a good business mind and of course, if he's good at his job. Keep an eye out in FAS, fas.ie is a good place to look, I've narrowd the search down to apprentices in carpentry and joinery for you in this link. Bookmark the link and keep checking it, it should change every week or so with new openings coming up. Good luck:)

d-redser

cormie wrote:

Sounds like he has his mind set on carpentry.

Best bet, if he wants to become a fully qualified carpenter, is to start at the bottom as a first year apprentice and work his way up, 4 years, he'll be 32, it's a long haul but at the end he'll be fully qualified and be earning a packet if he's got a good business mind and of course, if he's good at his job. Keep an eye out in FAS, fas.ie is a good place to look, I've narrowd the search down to apprentices in carpentry and joinery for you in this link. Bookmark the link and keep checking it, it should change every week or so with new openings coming up. Good luck:)

hey thanks for that information that was really helpful and i will pass it on to him... cheers

cormie

No problem, best of luck:)