Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship

Carpentry and Joinery apprenticeships involve carrying out skilled work, primarily using timber products, either on a construction site or in a workshop, creating and installing building components.

There are 2 pathways within Carpentry, Site Carpentry and Architectural Joiner. 

There are three main Site Carpentry and Architectural Joiner orientated categories to this apprenticeship – Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. More detailed information can be found on the apprenticeship standard document here.

Site Carpenter
Site Carpenters will normally work on a building site, or in domestic and commercial premises, preparing and fixing building components as well as a range of repair and maintenance activities.

Architectural Joiner
Architectural Joiners will normally be employed in a workshop producing timber-based building components and other architectural products, such as doors, windows, units, and staircases.

As an apprentice you can expect to undertake work based learning with an employer and be paid a wage.

You will attend college on a block release basis to ensure you get the support you need to succeed.  The rest of the training will take place in the workplace with in-house training provided by the employer.  You will be assigned an assessor who will help guide you through the entire apprenticeship.

City College’s construction workshops provide a fantastic learning environment with industry-standard equipment, where you can learn everything you need for you to enhance your Carpentry career.  We have industry experts tutors, who will be on hand to teach and guide you through and answer any questions you may have.

Candidates will typically have at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9–4/A*–C including English and maths.  You will need to provide evidence of this prior to starting your apprenticeship.  If you have not already achieved these in English and maths, you will be required to do so before completing your apprenticeship – we can help you with this.

To start an apprenticeship you will need an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice.  If you already have an employer please contact us.  

If not don't worry you can see our current apprenticeship vacancies which is regularly updated.

You must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

You will be required to attend an interview at the College prior to enrolling onto an apprenticeship.

Off-the-job training

Each apprenticeship must include 20% off-the-job training, which amounts to 20% of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship.  Off-the-job training is any learning undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship.  Examples of this would be shadowing colleagues, attending supplier meetings, taking external courses, Toolbox talks etc.

End Point Assessment

Each apprentice will need to undertake an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship.  It measures the skills, knowledge and behaviours each apprentice has developed.  

An apprentice can only take this assessment once all other aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed.  An apprentice needs to be completely ready to take this assessment and the employer and assessor will decide when the time is right.  A declaration will be signed by both the employer, apprentice and assessor.  If the apprentice fails the assessment, then there will be a re-sit charge, which is generally paid by the employer.

The EPA Consists of:

1) Knowledge Assessment: A 45-minute short written test consisting of 35 questions. The questions are designed to assess the apprentice’s understanding of the core and specific knowledge and behavioural requirements. The Knowledge Assessment will be delivered in a controlled invigilated environment approved by NOCN.

2) Practical Assessment: A skills test that requires the apprentice to complete a practical activity and will include oral questioning, where required to ensure the apprentice has the Skills, supporting Knowledge and Behaviours for the chosen job role. The test for both pathways Site Carpentry and Architectural Joinery will take a minimum of 6 hours to complete.