If you’re good with your hands and want to build your own career, a carpentry apprenticeship is a great choice. Carpentry apprenticeships in Australia offer a stable and growing career path in the building and construction industry. With the Australian government's target of 1.2 million homes to be built from July 2024 to July 2029 carpentry skills are in high demand. According to the Australian Government's Job Outlook service, there are around 69,000 job openings expected over the next five years for qualified carpenters and joiners.
To start a carpentry apprenticeship in Australia, you'll need reliable transportation and strong attention to detail. Whether you're a school leaver, re-entering the workforce, or seeking a career change, here's all the information you'll need to start and complete your carpentry apprenticeship in Australia.
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Additional resources for carpenters:
- Essential Workwear for Builders & Carpenters
- Best Tools for Carpenters
- How to Grow a Carpentry or Construction Business
- How to Get a Carpentry Apprenticeship
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- Carpentry apprenticeships New South Wales (NSW)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Victoria (VIC)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Queensland (QLD)
- Carpentry apprenticeships South Australia (SA)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Western Australia (WA)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Tasmania (TAS)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Northern Territory (NT)
- Carpentry apprenticeships Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
1. Carpentry apprenticeships New South Wales (NSW)
To begin your carpentry apprenticeship in NSW, you will need a dedicated, licensed carpenter to vouch they are prepared train you throughout your apprenticeship. You must have an official agreement in place with your employer and your employers need to provide the necessary resources and experience to qualify for an apprentice. Most employers will also require you to have a reliable method of transportation before you begin your apprenticeship. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. To qualify as a carpenter, you must complete a Certificate III in Carpentry, which takes four years and includes a mix of on-site, real-world training and theoretical training with a licensed institution.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you are responsible for adhering to occupational health and safety requirements. This includes wearing:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with safety toe cap and non-slip soles
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- You should also wear 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
In addition to the standard personal protective equipment, you might also require:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You will also need personal stationery, a USB, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler (carpenter) and a 5m tape measure.
White Card requirement:
All students must hold a valid White Card or complete unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry (White Card).
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in NSW, check out:
- Information on apprenticeships in NSW
- Certificate III in Carpentry NSW
- Apprentice Carpenter Jobs in NSW
2. Carpentry apprenticeships Victoria (VIC)
To begin your carpentry apprenticeship in Victoria, Australia, you will need a dedicated, licensed carpenter willing to train you throughout your apprenticeship. Most employers will also require you to have a reliable method of transportation before you begin your apprenticeship as well. You must have an official agreement in place with your employer, and your employer needs to be able to provide the resources to qualify for an apprentice. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. To get your full carpentry license, you must complete a Certificate III in Carpentry, which takes four years and includes a mix of on-site, real-world training and theoretical training with a licensed institution.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you are responsible for adhering to occupational health and safety requirements. This includes wearing:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with a safety toe cap and non-slip soles
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
In addition to the standard personal protective equipment, you might also require:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You will also need personal stationery, a USB, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler (carpenter) and a 5m tape measure.
White Card requirement
All students must hold a valid White Card or complete unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry (White Card).
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in VIC, check out:
- Certificate III in Carpentry VIC
- Apprentice Carpenter Jobs in VIC
- Apprenticeships Victoria
- Skills Victoria
3. Carpentry apprenticeships Queensland (QLD)
To begin your carpentry apprenticeship in Queensland (QLD), you will need a dedicated, licensed carpenter to train you throughout the apprenticeship. You must have an official agreement in place with your employer, and your employer needs the necessary personnel and physical resources to qualify for an apprentice. To qualify, you must complete a Certificate III in Carpentry, which takes four years and includes a mix of on-site, real-world training and theoretical training with a licensed institution. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid Australian work visa. Most employers will require a driver's licence and your own transportation.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you are responsible for adhering to occupational health and safety requirements. This includes wearing:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with a safety toe cap and non-slip soles
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
You will also need personal stationery, a USB, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler (carpenter) and a 5m tape measure.
Additional gear and Tools:
In addition to the standard personal protective equipment, you should also invest in also require:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
White Card Requirement:
All students must hold a valid White Card or complete unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry (White Card).
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in QLD, check out:
- QLD Certificate III in Carpentry
- Apprentice Carpenter Jobs in QLD
- Jora Apprenticeships
- Indeed Apprenticeships
4. Carpentry apprenticeships South Australia (SA)
To start a carpentry apprenticeship in South Australia (SA), you need a licensed carpenter to mentor you throughout your apprenticeship. There are a few requirements to begin your carpentry apprenticeship, including access to reliable transportation and a driver's licence. You will also need to complete a Certificate III in Carpentry, which generally takes four years and combines hands-on, on-site training with theoretical studies at an accredited institution. You must have a formal agreement with your employer, who must provide the necessary resources for your apprenticeship. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you must comply with occupational health and safety standards, including wearing:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with a safety toe cap and non-slip soles
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
In addition to standard protective equipment, tools you might need include:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Various saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You'll also need personal stationery, a USB drive, a calculator, and tools like a folding metre ruler and a 5m tape measure
White Card requirement:
All apprentices must hold a valid White Card or complete the CPCWHS1001 unit, which prepares them to work safely in the construction industry.
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in SA, check out:
5. Carpentry apprenticeships Western Australia (WA):
To start a carpentry apprenticeship in Western Australia (WA), you'll need a dedicated, licensed carpenter to agree to mentor you throughout your training. Minimum requirements to begin your carpentry apprenticeship also often include access to reliable transportation and a driver's licence. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. To qualify as a licensed carpenter, you'll complete Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30220), which typically spans four years and includes a combination of on-site training and theoretical education at a registered training organisation.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you must comply with occupational health and safety standards, including:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with safety toe caps and non-slip soles
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
Additional tools and equipment you might need include:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Various saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You'll also need personal stationery, a USB drive, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler and a 5m tape measure
White Card requirement:
All apprentices must hold a valid White Card or complete the unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry, which allows access to construction sites for work placements.
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in WA, check out:
6. Carpentry apprenticeships Tasmania (TAS)
Throughout your carpentry apprenticeship in Tasmania (TAS), you'll need to complete Certificate III in Carpentry. This apprenticeship typically spans four years and includes both on-the-job training and classroom instruction at a registered training organisation (RTO) such as TasTAFE, plus on site training alongside a licensed carpenter. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. Most employers will also require you to have access to reliable transportation and a driver's licence.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you must comply with safety standards, which include:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with safety toe caps
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
Other tools you might need include:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Various saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You will also need personal stationery, a USB drive, a calculator, and tools like a folding metre ruler and a 5m tape measure.
White Card requirement:
All apprentices must hold a valid White Card, which is obtained by completing the CPCWHS1001 unit to prepare for safe work in the construction industry.
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in TAS, check out:
- Jora Apprenticeships
- Apprentice Carpenter Jobs in TAS
- Certificate III in Carpentry TAS
- Indeed Apprenticeships
7. Carpentry apprenticeships Northern Territory (NT)
During a carpentry apprenticeship in the Northern Territory (NT), you need to complete Certificate III in Carpentry. This apprenticeship typically lasts about four years and includes both on-the-job training and classroom instruction at a registered training organisation (RTO), such as Charles Darwin University. You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. Most employers will also require you to have access to reliable transportation and a driver's licence.
Safety requirements:
As an apprentice, you must adhere to safety standards, which include:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with safety toe caps
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
Other tools you might need include:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Various saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You will also need personal stationery, a USB drive, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler and a 5m tape measure
White Card requirement:
All apprentices must hold a valid White Card, obtained by completing the unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry. This card is essential for working on construction sites.
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in NT, check out:
- Apprenticeship Jobs in NT
- How to Get an Apprenticeship or Traineeship in NT
- Certificate III in Carpentry in NT
8. Carpentry apprenticeships Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
To finish a carpentry apprenticeship in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), you will need to complete Certificate III in Carpentry. This apprenticeship typically spans four years and combines both on-the-job training and classroom instruction through a registered training organisation (RTO) such as the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). You must also be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, or hold a valid visa allowing you to work in Australia. Most employers will also require you to have a driver's licence and access to reliable transportation.
Safety requirements:
You must adhere to occupational health and safety standards, which include:
- Safety glasses
- Protective footwear with safety toe caps
- Leather gloves
- Hair protection
- Disposable dust masks
- 100% cotton drill industry-standard clothing
Additional gear and tools:
Other tools you might need include:
- A tool belt
- Hammer
- Chisels
- Various saws (both hand and power saws)
- Spirit level
- Carpenter's pencils
You will also need personal stationery, a USB drive, a calculator, and tools such as a folding metre ruler and a 5m tape measure
White Card requirement:
All apprentices must hold a valid White Card, obtained by completing the unit CPCWHS1001 - Prepare to work safely in the construction industry. This card is essential for working on construction sites.
For additional information on your carpentry apprenticeship in ACT, check out:
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