Carpenter
Construction trade framing, fixing and finishing timber structures. Not licensed in most states for non-structural work, but contractor licences apply above set thresholds in QLD and TAS.
What a carpenter actually does
Carpenters on a residential build site usually start between 6:30 and 7am. The morning starts with a toolbox talk, then it's straight into framing, fixing or formwork depending on the day. Framing days are the most physical: lifting wall frames, cutting studs and noggins, setting trusses. Form-work crews on commercial sites pour cycles every week or two, so the rhythm is set-out, strip and reset. Fix-out carpenters work indoors on hanging doors, installing skirting and architraves, building stairs. Tools are mostly battery-powered now (drill, impact driver, circular saw, nail gun) but everyone still carries a hammer and a tape. Most days finish 3-4pm on domestic, later on commercial. Weather plays a big role - framing in summer in Queensland or WA is brutal, and you're shifted to cooler tasks where possible. Builders will pull you off site if it's pelting rain on a frame, but you'll still be expected to make up the time later.
Skills you'll use
- Reading construction drawings and AS 1684 framing rules
- Setting out floors, walls and roofs from plans
- Wall and roof framing with timber and engineered LVL
- Formwork for footings, slabs and retaining walls
- Fix-out work including doors, skirting and stairs
- Power-tool maintenance and battery-platform fluency
- White-card site induction and basic working-at-heights
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 10 or above with maths and English
- 2Get a White Card (CPCWHS1001) to be allowed on construction sites
- 3Sign a 4-year apprenticeship with a builder or a Group Training Organisation
- 4Complete the CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry through TAFE block-release or day-release
- 5Optional - complete a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (CPC40120) to become a registered builder
- 6In QLD and TAS, apply for the relevant contractor or trade-contractor licence before working unsupervised above the threshold
Where you can work
- Residential builders on new estates and renovations
- Commercial construction contractors on offices, hospitals and schools
- Formwork specialists on large-pour projects
- Shop-fitters in retail and hospitality fit-outs
- Heritage restoration crews
- Local council maintenance teams
- Self-employed sole trader or small subcontracting team
Career progression
Typical stages and pay bands. Figures are sourced from Job Outlook, the Fair Work Building Industry Award, or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile.
- Apprentice4 yearsTypical roles: First-year apprentice carpenter, Fourth-year apprentice carpenterSalary band: $28,000 - $55,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Tradesperson0-4 yearsTypical roles: Domestic carpenter, Commercial carpenter, FormworkerSalary band: $65,000 - $90,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Leading hand or foreman5-10 yearsTypical roles: Leading hand, Site foreman, Project carpenterSalary band: $90,000 - $130,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Subcontractor or builder8+ yearsTypical roles: Sole-trader carpenter, Registered builder, Construction business owner
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You'd rather be on your feet than at a desk
- You're comfortable working outdoors year-round
- You enjoy seeing a frame go up from a slab in a week
- You're handy with maths and can read a tape measure quickly
- You don't mind starting work at first light
This might not suit you if
- You can't commit to 4 years of low apprentice pay
- Your back, knees or shoulders can't handle 8 hours of lifting and bending
- You'd rather work in air conditioning year-round
- You can't tolerate noisy sites with multiple trades running at once
Entry requirements
- Year 10 or equivalent
- A signed apprenticeship training contract with a host employer.
State licensing
Not nationally licensed. Some states impose contractor licensing once work exceeds a value threshold.
| State | Licensing authority |
|---|---|
| NSW | Not licensed in this state |
| VIC | Not licensed in this state |
| QLD | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (above $3,300) |
| SA | Not licensed in this state |
| WA | Not licensed in this state |
| TAS | Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Tasmania |
| NT | Not licensed in this state |
| ACT | Not licensed in this state |