Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)
  • An update of career change and jobs in Joinery/Carpentry
  • tacopowell
    Free Member

    Okay so as some of you remember, I posted of my desires to retrain into Joinery/carpentry last summer,
    I enrolled myself to do a Level 2 diploma in Carpentry,
    With around a month left until I complete the course I’m still currently without work in the field!
    I’ve being lucky enough that my current employer/job as a Learning disabilities Support Worker allows me to be flexible around college but with the course almost done I’m starting to get a little concerned about getting my foot into the industry door.

    I’ve learnt a great deal over the past 7 months and I’m extremely keen to get my head down to some experience!
    I have been unsure in which direction I want to go,
    First Fix, Flooring and roofing does interest me and I know the money is supposed to be better but I’ve also heard Kitchen fitting can be good money,

    I’ve really like the idea of Restoration and Heritage but that’s limited in and around Nottingham.

    Timber Framing is What I’d absolutely love to do, I’m going get in contact with frame builders nationwide to see if I can get any work experience.

    I’m finding that every job advert reads
    “Time served” “Experienced Joiners only” “Own tools required”

    I was under the impression that there was loads of work around?!

    I’ve put Heading Letters & CV’s out there, I’ve handed many out face to face but nobody seems interested!

    As a 31 year old, the chances of me getting on apprenticeship are pretty low.

    It’s starting to get me down a little,
    I’m going to have to get hold of a van and my own tools and blag the experience myself by hanging doors and laying laminate,
    Kitchens Would be one hell of a blag, particularity as I’ve no experience in any other trades.
    Not really what I paid £1250 for the diploma for!

    Upcycling old furniture is something else I’ve considered.

    Any advice of what I might be doing wrong and what I may have missed would be greatly appreciated.

    PimpmasterJazz
    Free Member

    First of all, I have absolutely no experience trying to get into the building trade so the below may be completely off the mark.

    I got into graphic design by essentially knocking on doors and hassling people, in the nicest way possible. I gave myself a year, and had got a job after 11 months (I was then offered another in central London within three days, which I took – thems the breaks I guess).

    It seems even harder now – a lot of grads are expected to work free of charge for a year or so to gain ‘experience’. While this is fine as it means there’s probably a job at the end, or in the least a year’s quality experience to help you get one, you have to survive that year. If you can do that, great – even if you apprentice three days a week and work at Tesco for two – but at least you’ll have the professional experience others are after.

    The other option, like you say, is to set-up on your own.

    singlesman
    Free Member

    Well done you for having the gumption to re-train for something you really want to do, and while these courses are a good starting point I would think they can only teach you the very basics of any trade.
    While nothing in construction is all that difficult, to become good and quick enough at it to charge customers a decent rate is slightly different and will only come with time and experience.
    Are there no small building firms local to you were you’re more likely to be able to have a go at different aspects of carpentry rather than being stuck doing one thing?
    Maybe offer to work a week at a reduced rate so they can see how enthusiastic you are?

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    wrightyson
    Free Member

    Please don’t take any of what I’m about to post the wrong way because I totally respect you for actually doing the course and having the balls to get out there and give it a go.
    If you were to look for work with me then you would certainly need your own tools, that’s pretty much a standard within the trades. If I knew you were just out of college/training then I would probably give you a wide berth as I’d be wary of a newbie fitting say 100 quid a pop doors. However one of the best joiners I’ve had on site was an ex male nurse who got pissed of with that and decided to give it a go. I didn’t know at the time he started but his work was good from the start.
    Maybe try an agency and get a start that way. I have (and you shouldn’t) in the past set folk on direct who I’ve had from agencies.
    Good luck.

    Marin
    Free Member

    If you need experience get signed up to some agencies. They are all crap and mostly will rip you off anyway they can but it does pay and can get you references. You will need a CSCS Card to work anywhere on site these days.
    Housing Associations may offer tools provided so you don’t have to buy any and will offer a full range of jobs for a chippie.
    There is plenty of work about at the moment BUT a lot in the trades goes on who you know and contacts still. If you are starting out take anything and everything offered to you. Send out your requests for timber frame work now instead of trawling through single track!
    Don’t offer to work on the cheap ask for a trial. Too many people will have you for cheap labour and then finish you off whether you are any good or not.
    Stay positive nothing any good comes easy. Good luck!

    project
    Free Member

    I’m finding that every job advert reads
    “Time served” “Experienced Joiners only” “Own tools required”

    Im one of them,tools and excperience built up over many years, would you really want someone driving you around if they had just done their driving test last week, or fixing your car, if theyd just done a college course, experience takes time, tools cost money, you buy them bit by bit, where as office staff get all their stuff provided usually.

    With the current failed ecconomy lots of people are retraining into new jobs, you just need to persuade an employer to give you a try, its a lot different in domestic or commercial woodwork or in a workshop bench joinering.

    Dont work cheap or for free, youre pandering to the capitalists who will use you for a few months and then sack you.Youre also depriving a fully trained and qualified tradesman of a job.

    cyclelife
    Free Member

    If I were you i would be looking at bespoke joinery for canal boats and camper vans, there is definately a shortage of Canal boat joiners as we’ve been looking for a good one for over a year!

    kayak23
    Full Member

    ,

    there is definately a shortage of Canal boat joiners as we’ve been looking for a good one for over a year!

    I used to build narrowboats at Napton narrowboats in Warwickshire, try them?

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Im one of them,tools and excperience built up over many years, would you really want someone driving you around if they had just done their driving test last week, or fixing your car, if theyd just done a college course, experience takes time, tools cost money, you buy them bit by bit

    I think the OP excepts that but if no one give you a chance you can’t gain experience!

    OP. I had the same experience a few years ago trying to get into electrical work. Personally I didn’t have any like, but ended up using the training in my current job for fault finding and a little design and specification but not for the installation side.

    therag
    Free Member

    The industry is in the worse state I’ve ever seen it, with wages lower now than 15 years ago.
    Most jobs go through scummy agencies who won’t pay you direct but give your wages to a third party and they all take a slice.
    You will need a cscs card, transport and at least basic tools & ppe such as cordless drill/driver, hand tools, hammer drill levels for most jobs.
    Well done on making the change and I Don’t mean to sound all doom & gloom but it really is a bad trade to be in for most at the moment.

    project
    Free Member

    I enrolled myself to do a Level 2 diploma in Carpentry,
    With around a month left until I complete the course I’m still currently without work in the field!

    Not really what I paid £1250 for the diploma for

    Ask the training providor to give you details of local employers, training agencies and schemes etc. Look on the job centres web site,turn up at local firms and ask for a job, i did.

    cbike
    Free Member

    Boat building? Freelance Theatre and film carpenter?

    mactheknife
    Full Member

    I f i was in your boat i would look at doing some self-employed work fitting VW and other vans. There is a big market for good conversions. Some of the quotes i got for doing my vivaro were bordering on the obscene.

    A good reliable tradesman is worth his weight in gold. Word of mouth will keep you busy if you turn up on time and answer calls. Oh and do a good job obviously 🙂

    Malvern Rider
    Free Member

    Mactheknife speaks sense. Niche/specialisation can be a safer bet these days, especially if you’re prepared to travel or have a large catchment population on yr doorstop of ppl who would like.y use yr skills and labour to do something they can’t do/don’t have time to do

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    If you are near Nottingham there are plenty of narrow boat places to try, either at the marinas or Trevithicks (sp?)

    If heritage interests you, Arkwright’s Mill at Cromford might want volunteers, and I seem to recall they had set up a commercial arm to use their restoration skills.

    singlesman
    Free Member

    Specialising is great, be it van conversions, boats, kitchens, whatever but first you have to be good and not many are good off the back of a six month course.
    Do whatever it takes to get your foot in the door with a decent firm and learn from there, it takes time!
    therag, I guess it’s regional but in our area, (Oxfordshire) construction is booming, I don’t know any decent builders who aren’t flat out, the only problem is finding good tradesmen who aren’t.

    tacopowell
    Free Member

    Thanks for the advice so far, I’m somewhat understanding of circumstance I’m in and why any potential employer would be put off a new graduate!
    That said,I’m due to qualify with a Distinction rather than just a Merit or pass,
    That has to be proof that I’ve got something about me!

    Just found a job last night for a joiner working on Camper vans,
    I don’t have a chance to get over there today but I’ll pay them a visit tomorrow morning,
    I’ll give them a call later today to get some information,
    Fingers crossed!

    jools182
    Free Member

    Interesting to see this thread

    I’m a civil engineering technician

    I was just looking into woodworking courses as a possible change, leaning towards furniture making

    Maybe I’ll have to come up with another half arsed cunning plan

    tacopowell
    Free Member

    Passed my final exam…..Distinction,
    Still no job,
    My lack of tools situation is about to change considerably,
    so it’s not all doom and gloom!

    footflaps
    Full Member

    My lack of tools situation is about to change considerably,

    You could always try and borrow some? Plus look at 2nd hand eg Ebay for routers etc….

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)

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