Is a carpentry apprenticeship worth it?
While three to five years can be a big time commitment, it helps you develop your carpentry skills, industry knowledge and safety standards to operate as a certified carpenter. Apprenticeships can save you money and allow you to earn a living while you learn the job.
A carpenter (also known as a chippy), at their core, is a tradesperson specialising in working with timber and any number of carpentry processes depending on their specific line of work.
The term 'Chippy' is commonly used in Australia and the UK to refer to carpenters. The term is found as far back as the 16th century – no doubt in reference to the wood chips that flew as carpenters worked their magic.
Carpenters are prone to have hearing loss and acquiring arthritis over the years. Not wearing hearing protection and knee pads can have a toll. Also ,if working alone you might need often to move heavy pieces and can suffer with back pains. It is very important to learn how to lift pieces, to wear ear plugs .
The median annual wage for carpenters was $48,260 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Is carpentry a hard trade? Compared to some other careers, there are less hoops to jump through to begin your qualification. It isn't too hard to get into carpentry. To start your carpentry career path, you'll do a Certificate III in Carpentry.
countable noun. A chippy is the same as a chip shop. [British, informal]
noun, plural chip·pies. Also chippie. Slang. a promiscuous woman. a prostitute.
combative | bellicose |
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scrappy | disputatious |
agonistic | feisty |
discordant | gladiatorial |
assaultive | brawly |
United States. In the United States, the dish is most commonly sold as fish and chips, except in Upstate New York and Wisconsin and other parts of the Northeast and Upper Midwest, where this dish would be called a fish fry.
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It's a pretty obvious one, but the slang word 'chippy' is thought to refer to the wood chips made by carpenters, although you might be surprised to know that this term dates back all the way to the 1500s.

Construction Carpenter Age Breakdown
Interestingly enough, the average age of construction carpenters is 40+ years old, which represents 58% of the population.
Like with any job, how much it pays is an important factor. Craft skills are unique and high in demand, meaning that wages can be very good in the construction industry. Carpenters have an average base salary of $56,877, or about $26.92/hour.
Carpenters tend to be predominantly realistic individuals, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project. They also tend to be conventional, meaning that they are usually detail-oriented and organized, and like working in a structured environment.
- Radiation Therapists. ...
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists. ...
- Dental Hygienists. ...
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians. ...
- Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians. ...
- Boilermakers. ...
- Construction and Building Inspectors. ...
- Electricians.
- Master Carpenter. Salary range: $42,500-$64,500 per year. ...
- Journeyman Carpenter. Salary range: $46,000-$63,500 per year. ...
- Union Carpenter. Salary range: $44,500-$62,500 per year. ...
- Carpenter Foreman. ...
- Finish Carpenter. ...
- Residential Carpenter. ...
- Commercial Carpenter. ...
- Carpenter.
Carpenter Foreman is the highest-paid type of carpenter with an average salary of $58,922 and an average hourly rate of $28.33. The second highest-paying type of carpenter is journeyman, with an average salary of $57,682. The average carpenter salary is $41,748 per year, and the average hourly pay is $20.07.
Welding is one of the occupations that are easy to learn in the skilled trades. You can learn how to weld within less than six months of practical exposure. Suppose you enjoy something that pays strong and has proper hours. Welding is a job you can drop your teeth into while also getting prospects for advancement.
Consumers and contractors agreed roofing and demolition are the most physically demanding trades. And while contractors voted carpentry as the third-most physically demanding trade, it barely cracked the top ten for consumers.
Do carpenters do a lot of math?
Basic math skills are a must for any carpenter. Carpenters use arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus and statistics to measure materials, add up volumes and complete other project-planning tasks.
chip·pie ˈchi-pē variants or less commonly chippy. plural chippies. : tramp, prostitute.
The Oxford English Dictionary is clear – a 'chippy' is a fish and chip shop while 'chipper' is another word for cheerfulness – but we aren't accepting it as a neutral source.
The term 'Chippy' is just a nickname or slang word for a Carpenter. It's not a derogatory word or meant to be demeaning. 'The term 'Chippy' is commonly used in Australia and the UK to refer to carpenters.
chippy in British English
(ˈtʃɪpɪ ) nounWord forms: plural -pies. British informal. a fish-and-chip shop. British and New Zealand a slang word for carpenter.
It is believed the lettuce, dab, also known as a scallop at some East Lancashire chippies, cheese and mayo combination was first sold back in the nineties when a chippy close to Blackburn College offered a cheap alternative meal to students. The Harbour chippy though has gone a few steps further.
One thing is for sure, the Scots are experts when it comes to fish and chips, which are usually sold from a 'chippy', as we would say in Scotland. For anyone who doesn't know what a chippy is, it is much like the traditional fish and chip shop, but with various battered foods, drinks, and confectionery!
Fish and chips are a staple of British diet, with chip shops or “chippies” being found in every town across the UK. In most, you'll find tender fish enveloped in crispy batter coupled with fluffy chips and an array of sauces, from salt and vinegar to curry sauce.
sales assistant | salesperson |
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shopkeeper | saleswoman |
vendorUS | marketer |
agent | clerk |
shopman | assistant |
The Cowboy Supper is a chip topped with baked beans (likely Heinz or similar) with a couple of deep fried sausages thrown on top. It's also a supper I've never bothered with until recently, despite being a staple in Northern Ireland's chips shops for as long as I can remember.
When was chippy invented?
A Quick History of the Potato Chip
The potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum. Crum was a Native American/African American chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs, New York, USA. French fries were popular at the restaurant, and one day a diner complained that the fries were too thick.
Hands down, Doritos Chips are the #1 best-selling chips of all time! Not only are they an all-American favorite, but they're also the #1 top-rated Frito-Lay brand of chips worldwide; especially the original Nacho Cheese flavor!
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Ganesh Moorthy was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Microchip Technology in March 2021 and was also appointed to Microchip's Board of Directors in January 2021.
Chippie is also the slang term for a joiner or a carpenter or anyone who works with wood, again, connected with the word chipboard.
Sparkie: The Australian term for an Electrician.
: aggressively belligerent. a chippy hockey player. also : marked by much fighting.
During your on-the-job training, some of the tasks you'll complete as an apprentice will include: Reading blueprints. Choosing and ordering timber and other materials. Measuring, cutting and assembling materials together.
It makes for some stressful hours and days and sometimes, weeks. But, there is always some sort of work for a good carpenter.
How long does it take to become good at carpentry?
Generally, training to become a skilled carpenter requires 3-4 years of on-the-job instruction and formal education (either in person or through online carpenter school).
Carpenters are attractive to most women.
Carpenters have the ability to captivate the attention of a lot of women. It is generally considered to be quite attractive to women if a man is capable of making things with his hands and of finding solutions to issues that arise in the home.
Carpenter. Many people aren't great at making repairs and additions to their property, so your carpentry skills can make for an excellent side job. Expect to earn a median hourly rate of $20.24, doing everything from hanging drywall to installing doors.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.2% employment growth for carpenters between 2021 and 2031. In that period, an estimated 20,500 jobs should open up. Carpenters employ an expansive mathematical skill set to complete construction projects and other manual tasks.
- You can risk accidental injury. ...
- The job requires hard physical labor. ...
- The job outlook is below average. ...
- You might need three to five years of training. ...
- You may experience inconsistency in work opportunities. ...
- You might work as a contractor.
- Math skills. Carpenters use basic math skills to calculate accurate measurements when building structures. ...
- Physical strength. ...
- Communication. ...
- Attention to detail. ...
- Problem-solving. ...
- Dexterity. ...
- Mechanical skills. ...
- Get comfortable with measuring.
- Read blueprints as well as taking direction from verbal and written descriptions.
- General framing - Construct the wooden structure for a building (walls, floors, and doorframes)
- Build staircases.
- Concrete formwork - Molds for pouring concrete.
- Install windows, doors and siding.
Benefits of completing a carpenter apprenticeship
More career possibilities: After completing an apprenticeship, professionals may register as journeymen carpenters. This can help them qualify for more roles. Advanced skill training: Through an apprenticeship, you can develop your skills through on-the-job training.
Carpentry can be hard heavy work as it often involves lots of lifting and serious manual labor, so yes becoming and staying a carpenter can be very hard.
It depends on a range of factors
The length of these ranges from one to six years because you can take them part or full-time. As an example, an intermediate carpentry and joinery apprenticeship takes around two years to complete, but up to four years if you study part-time.
Is carpentry worth getting into?
Good Pay with No College Debt
Like with any job, how much it pays is an important factor. Craft skills are unique and high in demand, meaning that wages can be very good in the construction industry. Carpenters have an average base salary of $56,877, or about $26.92/hour.
Basic math skills are a must for any carpenter. Carpenters use arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus and statistics to measure materials, add up volumes and complete other project-planning tasks.
Carpentry apprenticeships
You could become a qualified carpenter in only two years, if you take a full-time intermediate carpentry apprenticeship; however, the same apprenticeship could take four years if it is part-time.
Problem-solving
Since much of the work carpenters do involves repair, being able to solve the problem of broken parts or fixtures is crucial.
This is a great industry to work in. You need to work hard and have good qualifications to get your trade but if you enjoy working with your hands, this is the job to be in.
How Much Does a Carpenter Make? Carpenters made a median salary of $48,260 in 2021. The best-paid 25% made $61,980 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $38,240.
So, can you do an apprenticeship at any age? Yes! There is no apprenticeship age limit. There are many ways apprenticeships can not only benefit older people but can also be beneficial for their careers - from upskilling to restarting in a new field.
After a year, your situation might change. Once you are 19 or older and in the second year of your apprenticeship your pay switches over to now be governed by the national minimum wage. For many apprentices, this can mean a significant pay rise after completing the first year of their scheme/course.
Apprentice benefits
at least 20 days' paid holiday a year.
Construction Carpenter Age Breakdown
Interestingly enough, the average age of construction carpenters is 40+ years old, which represents 58% of the population.
Is carpentry easier than electrical?
Both jobs require you to stand for long periods of time, work with your hands, climb ladders and may involve working inside small crawl spaces. However, carpentry may be slightly more physically demanding, as it more often requires lifting and carrying heavy items than electrical work does.