So, you want to be a carpenter?

Adrian Nava

My profession is to be a full-time carpenter

This job uses wood to build and repair all structures. Carpenters also use a wide variety of power and hand tools to construct doors. Most carpenters work for construction companies are carpentry contractors and work in maintenance departments of large organizations. The core tasks are read blueprints to lay out any project or wood. Also, they have to be good with measures when laying out lengths of the wood. You have to have good communication skills and work well with your hands, physically fit with a good sense of balance. All you need is a 2-year college or technical training and have a degree in that profession.  The starting pay ranges from 12-35$ an hour if working full-time hours all year then the income range is from $27,000 to $79,000 a year. Also, the median income for this job is around $21 an hour or around $44,000 a year.

Mr. Rogerson, a Carpentry teacher at Morton East.

  1. Can you tell me about your background and how you got into this field?

Answer: I took classes in college to get my degree in the field and concentrated in construction technology.

  1. What personal characteristics are required for someone to be successful in your job?

Answer: be patient, detail oriented, good communication skills and have a calm personality.

  1. How much job security is there for people in your field?

Answer: it just takes about 5 years of training and experience and you’re good.

  1. What other jobs could you do with the skills you have gained in this field?

Answer: just carpentry related stuff like construction and make a good salesman.

  1. What do you think the future holds for future people in this occupation?

Answer: outlook is good because career education is coming back and more emphasized.

  1. What are the biggest challenges in your job?

Answer: tailoring your curriculum for student needs.

  1. What should people do to get started?

Answer: start out in the carpentry industry and get your degree in the field.

  1. How much is your yearly salary?

Answer: I’m making 60,000$ a year but when I started I made only 17,000$ a year.

  1. What got you into this field?

Answer: my uncle owned a shop and was teaching automotive and found out it was a nice lifestyle for me.