New Job Offer as Carpenter

joebudden

Hello Boardies,

Im in a bit of a dilema...Im working in construction myself at the moment and only 21 yrs of age with nothing behind me. Ive applied for a public job but will be waiting a good while before I even get a go ahead. I have thought about going back to college but dont think I could hack it and to be honest the only thing bothering me at the moment is not having anything behind me!

Ive been offered a job as an Apprentice Carpenter which would have been appealing a few years ago and I know myself I'd love it its just the way things are at the moment should I be getting into this trade. I really dont know. Alot of people are saying dont do it and a few are saying do. Money is crap the first few years but im just worried if this new company goes bust where do I stand, il end up half qualified and back to square one!!

The rewards are when im finished earning good money and having something behind me but im just unsure on what to do..

Any help or advice would be much obliged!!

Thanks

JB

Beruthiel

I would have thought a good carpenter is never out of work.
Either way, even if things are a bit slow now, they won't always be.
A trade like that will stand to you. I think you'd be mad to turn it down if it's been offered, especially if you think you'll like it.
Go for it!

Dudess

joebudden wrote: »

Hello Boardies,

Im in a bit of a dilema...Im working in construction myself at the moment and only 21 yrs of age with nothing behind me. Ive applied for a public job but will be waiting a good while before I even get a go ahead. I have thought about going back to college but dont think I could hack it and to be honest the only thing bothering me at the moment is not having anything behind me!

Ive been offered a job as an Apprentice Carpenter which would have been appealing a few years ago and I know myself I'd love it its just the way things are at the moment should I be getting into this trade. I really dont know. Alot of people are saying dont do it and a few are saying do. Money is crap the first few years but im just worried if this new company goes bust where do I stand, il end up half qualified and back to square one!!

The rewards are when im finished earning good money and having something behind me but im just unsure on what to do..

Any help or advice would be much obliged!!

Thanks

JB

Yeah you should definitely do it. Construction's in a bad way right now - you've got yourself a ready-made way out (before you're forced out - it's happening a LOT in that sector unfortunately). Sure, apprentice money is crap but we're all gonna have to watch our spending over the next while so learning to budget will stand to you.

Dixie Chick

I would also say go for it. As far as I know (from My Mr when serving his time) you do block release at the end of each year and that stages you so that you wont be a newbie but part qualified, if this was offered to you then i would think its a great step forward. people who say no cos the construction industry is in ****e are being short sighted in their view.

best of luck!;)

gaz wac

Beruthiel wrote: »

I would have thought a good carpenter is never out of work.
A trade like that will stand to you. !

Thats what 1,000's of other people thought in the building trade, when they all rushed out of school without even a leaving cert cos they said a sparks, bulider, plaster etc would never be out of work !! look at them now!!
OP forget this line of work...get a FAS course behind you, computer course, or some office work and keep applying for these types of jobs!

Just my two pennies

Gaz

Dixie Chick

gaz wac wrote: »

Thats what 1,000's of other people thought in the building trade, when they all rushed out of school without even a leaving cert cos they said a sparks, bulider, plaster etc would never be out of work !! look at them now!!
OP forget this line of work...get a FAS course behind you, computer course, or some office work and keep applying for these types of jobs!

Just my two pennies

Gaz

i think the earning potential from a computer course/office work will pale in comparison to what this chap could earn when he qualifies. the economy wont always be bad and this will also open great travel opportunities for him as a skilled worker.

Dudess

But carpentry/furniture-making isn't confined solely to the construction sector the way e.g. building or plastering is.

Plus OP, you seem very bright and articulate. You might be able for college when you're older and you could do nixers to keep the money rolling in.

Dixie Chick

Dudess wrote: »

But carpentry/furniture-making isn't confined solely to the construction sector the way e.g. building or plastering is.

Plus OP, you seem very bright and articulate. You might be able for college when you're older and you could do nixers to keep the money rolling in.

+1 good point re not being confined to one sector!

Bottle_of_Smoke

Wouldn't go for it. Just finished up working for business account management with a major Irish bank & dealt with a lot of out of work carpenters.

They're directly affected by the worldwide construction slump, as are plumbers & other tradesmen. I know there's other things you can do with carpentry but they're all going to be flooded with carpenters who were previously connected to construction

I heard Australian construction companies are crying out for people, would you consider that?

MagicMarker

Yeah go for it man... it doesn't matter if they go bust, if you finish the 1st year and they go bust, you can just get a job with another company as a 2nd year apprentice and so on.

cork1

Hey Joe!!

At the moment im a carpentry apprentice just going in to my 3rd year. If you think you would like it go for it. it really is great to learn all of the skills.and as someone said a good tradesman is always busy

Stuxnet

I'm a 28 yr old carpenter, started my time back in 97, and have been up the walls since, sure things have slowed downed, but there is always work for a good worker, also i have travelled the world and worked in oz and usa, with a good trade behind you, you can work anywhere

good luck in what you decide

The Word Of God

joebudden wrote: »

I know myself I'd love it

That is your answer right there. You can do many jobs and make a wage but will it always be something that you enjoy doing? Being a carpenter is something you can take anywhere in the world and enjoy doing. There are nixers galore too.

If it is something you do want to do then do your best to excel at it. That way you can reap the rewards in many ways

Carpenter or Cabinet Maker?


if it was carpentry i really wouldn't run into it without thinking about it a lot. I dont think buildings will generally be in big demand to be made much in your life time.


Cabinet making can be a pain in the ass, but you'd be working on the interiors of ready-existing buildings, so it wouldn't be too bad i wouldn't think.


Don't do an apprenticeship just for the sake of doing an apprenticeship.

However, if you think you will 'love it' and want to spend your life doing that kind of work, then i guess its a much better idea to get the qualification now, rather than later.

Also, semi-qualified people are usually in demand. It can probably be a pain in the ass to find someone who will take you on and let you finish the apprenticeship on their time, but its better to have 50% done than 0%.

mad m

Nothing wrong with at least giving it a shot. The company will always keep on an apprentice because you are the cheapest. If after a year or two the company goes bust or your let go, you can still go on block release and still qualify and get the all important certs you need that will help you. You won't get a second look in the public sector if they are looking for a carpenter with no certs...

I know a good few carpenters who took up the apprenticeship in there 40's....so 21 nowadays is nothing either...

joebudden

Thanks for all that lads, I have been thinking about it and in fairness ive nothing to lose in doing it, I worked as an Estate Agent for two years which went tits up but found out there that I find office work a bit boring but at least in that line of work you were out and about (robbing)...

Hope it works out he's a small builder ( extensions etc) so I will learn alot and he seems to be flying with the work like ll small builders at the mo.