Carpentry Qualification Routes - Options Explained

Carpentry Qualification Information and Guidance

The construction industry relies heavily on skilled people and in this day and age, skilled people with recognised qualifications.

Able Skills is a leading, quality construction training provider and assessment centre and we are committed to playing an active part in training inexperienced people to enter the industry, build on their experience and become skilled workers.

At the same time, we are also approved to assist skilled but unqualified workers to achieve the industry recognised qualifications in the most appropriate form and time span.

Carpentry is a very popular trade to work within. It is very varied in it’s scope and a good Carpenter will have the skills to cover every Carpentry requirement whether you are undertaking aspects of first or second fix, everything from fitting skirting boards, dados and architrave to erecting stud walls and traditional roofs.

At Able Skills we have the facilities and experienced Carpentry staff on hand to ensure that whatever aspect of Carpentry you want to learn or need to be assessed on, you can be!

We can take you from a Carpentry novice to a confident and competent Carpenter if you are dedicated and can take the time to listen to instruction and learn from the experts. We can also help those that have been undertaking Carpentry work for many years to get the qualification that until 2010, they never needed.

City & Guilds are the leading industry recognised awarding body for construction training qualifications and Construction Awards Alliance (CAA) are the awarding body behind construction NVQs and Able Skills are approved by both to help individuals get to where they need to be within the Carpentry trade.

Any Carpentry training you consider undertaking should be done at a C&G or CAA approved Centre so that you can be assured that the facilities are correct, the courses are designed to progress you towards working and achieving an NVQ and more importantly, the staff are qualified as Carpenters and as Assessors.

•    Able Skills CAA centre number is 5759       
•    Able Skills C&G centre number is 723054

Please visit our course details page to see what route to a Carpentry qualification is most appropriate to you

For New Entrants looking for a training qualification in Carpentry, there are currently 2 options available at Able Skills:

Route 1

New Entrants– No Existing Carpentry Qualifications – New for 2011

If you do not have any underpinning Carpentry qualifications, we recommend the following:-

City & Guilds 6218-04: QCF Carpentry Certificate (8 Weeks)

Unit 001 - Introducing Site Carpentry Skills (Entry Level 3)
Unit 002 - Introducing Bench Joinery Skills (Entry Level 3)
Unit 003 - Introducing Cabinet Making Skills (Entry Level 3)
Unit 006 - Introducing Levelling In Construction (Entry Level 3)
Unit 101 - Developing Site Carpentry Skills (Level 1)
Unit 102 - Developing Bench Joinery Skills (Level 1)
Unit 103 - Developing Cabinet Making Skills (Level 1)
Unit 104 - Developing Flooring Skills (Level 1)
Unit 105 - Developing Partitioning Skills (Level 1)
Unit 106 - Developing Hand Tool Maintenance Skills (Level 1)
Unit 107 - Developing Hand Plane Skills (Level 1)
Unit 201 - Expanding Site Carpentry Skills (Level 2)
Unit 202 - Expanding Bench Joinery Skills (Level 2)
Unit 203 - Expanding Cabinet Making Skills (Level 2)

This Carpentry course is suitable for people who are not at this moment working in the Carpentry industry and who would like to obtain the required qualification to work towards becoming a professional Carpenter/Joiner.

To broaden your understanding of Carpentry, you can add an additional 2 weeks to this to gain further understanding of the requirements of the Carpentry industry and receive additional training to ensure you are fully equipped to work within the industry and gather evidence to work towards an NVQ at level 2

Route 2

Construction Awards Alliance Level 2 Carpentry Diploma (6 Weeks)

This CAA Diploma will require 6 weeks of practical Carpentry training and assessment. Completion of this Diploma will be determined by all of the following:

•    Achievement of each Carpentry unit by internal testing undertaken by your instructor. Each Carpentry knowledge unit also has a mandatory series of questions and answers produced by CAA and managed by your instructor.

•    Synoptic practical Carpentry assignment set by CAA and controlled by your instructor. Successful completion of the assignment will be needed before the Carpentry qualification can be completed.

•    Online test covering the core Carpentry units and the occupational units must be passed to achieve the Carpentry qualification. The test will be an independent test of Carpentry knowledge and understanding.

As you can see from the above, completion of this Carpentry Diploma requires candidates to demonstrate knowledge and competence on both a practical and theory level and therefore to confirm this, candidates are required to record their understanding of the subject in detail.

This Carpentry course will require you to undertake some research in order for you to record your understanding of Carpentry and related aspects but to help you with this we have put together a comprehensive Carpentry manual which will cover all of the knowledge units required to fully achieve this Carpentry award.

This manual, along with practical Carpentry training, demonstrations, ongoing guidance and advice will all help when you undertake your Carpentry unit tests, final practical assessment and On-Line exam.

The Units you must complete to achieve this Level 2 Diploma in Carpentry are:

•    Know how to carry out safe working practices
•    Carry out safe working practices
•    Knowledge of information, quantities and communicating with others
•    Information, quantities and communicating with others
•    Knowledge of building methods and construction technology
•    Building methods and construction technology
•    Know how to carry out first fixing operations
•    Carry out first fixing operations
•    Know how to carry out second fixing
•    Carry out second fixing
•    Know how to erect structural carcassing
•    Erect structural carcassing
•    Know how to carry out maintenance
•    Carry out maintenance
•    Know how to set up and operate a circular saw
•    Set up and operate a circular saw

Existing Carpenters

If you are already a Carpenter but do not hold any formal qualifications, there are two routes to achieving a Carpentry NVQ at level 2, dependent upon time served:

Route 1 - Existing Carpenters – Less than 5 years experience

If you have underpinning qualifications or have spent less than 5 years Carpentry, we recommend the following:-

On Site Assessment (OSAT)

In order to qualify and register for this Carpentry NVQ, the following criteria must be met:

•    You must work within a 60 mile radius of Dartford – Postcode: DA1.
•    You  will need to be employed in a role that is related to Carpentry

Able Skills can offer NVQ on site assessment to those of you who have underpinning Carpentry qualifications or who have been working in the Carpentry industry for less than 5 years.

We have our own Carpentry Assessors and Internal Verifiers, all of whom are City & Guilds and CAA approved. As long as you are working within the Carpentry Industry, we can come and assess you on site.

The process will start with an interview between you and your Carpentry assessor whereby an action plan and timetable will be drawn up.

You will be required to gather and record evidence as indicated on your assessment plan and you would benefit from a work based recorder (Supervisor or foreman); this will help to confirm Carpentry work which you have undertaken which an Assessor was unable to be present at.

Carpentry Assessments will be at your work place whereby we will be observing you at work Carpentry; we will examine and discuss any evidence you have provided.

An assessor will sign off completed units, where sufficient quality and quantity has been provided, any shortfalls of Carpentry evidence will be discussed and any Carpentry training requirements identified. In between visits, you will continue to generate further evidence.

The units required to achieve a level 2 Carpentry NVQ (QUA 808) are:

QCF01 – Conforming to General Safety in the Workplace
QCF02 – Conforming to Efficient Working Practices in the workplace
QCF03 – Moving and Handling Resources in the Workplace

Supported by THREE optional units from:

QCF09 – Installing First Fixing Components in the Workplace
QCF10 – Installing Second Fixing Components in the Workplace
QCF11 – Erecting Structural Carcassing Components in the Workplace
QCF12 – Maintaining Non-Structural Carpentry Work in the Workplace
QCF13 – Setting Up and Using Circular Saws in the Workplace

There is no time scale on achieving a Carpentry NVQ. If your line of work allows, NVQs can be achieved in a relatively short space of time however, if the work you are doing is restricted or repetitive, the NVQ process can take longer because the opportunity to meet all of the required Carpentry NVQ units will not be available to you.

Route 2

Existing Carpenters – More than 5 years experience

If you have spent more than 5 years Carpentry but have never gained qualifications, we recommend the following:-

The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment: EWPA

This is a fast route open through the CAA-ConstructionSkills / City & Guilds awarding body. It is available for Carpenters with a minimum of five years experience and who do not need any further Carpentry training.

The process involves profiling and skill matching by an Able Skills Carpentry Assessor, evidence gathering, a practical Carpentry assessment and a Professional Discussion. Any of these processes can be done at weekends.

All the skills needed to pass the Carpentry NVQ are included in one task, which is observed by our approved Carpentry Assessor.

The 4 Steps of EWPA - Your fast track route to a Carpentry NVQ

Step 1: Upon contacting Able Skills, we will arrange a profiling appointment for you and make recommendations of the kind of information and evidence you may wish to bring along to support your application as an experienced Carpenter.

Step 2: At your profiling appointment (which will last for approximately 2 hours) our Carpentry assessor will introduce you to the process and make an initial assessment to ensure you are suitable to qualify through this method.

They will look over any items of Carpentry ‘evidence’ you may have with you, evidence you provide can be in a written form, such as witness statements from customers or supervisors worked with in the past, or it can take the form of photographs of your Carpentry work, site plans, qualifications or proof of Carpentry employment.

If there is insufficient evidence but it is clear that you are a competent Carpenter, you will be advised of what additional evidence is required which you will have to bring back to the Centre to undertake a review. You will also be required to sit a health & safety test for your CSCS card if you haven’t done so already.

Step 3: Once all of the required portfolio evidence is complete, you will undertake a practical assessment of your skills which will be observed by our Carpentry assessor.

This will be followed by a recorded professional discussion to assess your knowledge of Carpentry; we will aim to complete this process over a period of 2 days, weekends are available.

Step 4: If you are successful, you will receive your full, Experienced Worker CSCS card and your NVQ certificate. If you do not pass the Carpentry assessment all is not lost: the work you have done can still count towards your Carpentry qualification through OSAT.

Summary: Carpentry Qualifications

So whether you are new to the Carpentry industry, time served or somewhere in between, we feel confident that we have the right training or assessment option for you. Whichever category you fall into, Able Skills is confident that with the quality of Carpentry training we provide and staff in place, we can get you to where you need to be.

New to the Carpentry Industry

Route 1 - City & Guilds 6218-04: QCF Carpentry Diploma (8 Weeks)

(Or maybe add another 2 weeks to start the NVQ process)

Route 2 - Construction Awards Alliance Level 2 Carpentry Diploma (6 Weeks)

Time Served Carpenters

Route 1 - On Site Assessment (OSAT)

Route 2 - The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment: EWPA

Carpentry Image Gallery

Book the Above Course

We are sorry but this course is not available for online booking. To book this course, please call us on 01322 280202 or use the form below: