Carpentry & Joinery Course (16-18)

Course overview

This carpentry course is ideal for those who want to pursue a career in carpentry.

Carpenters work with wood on building sites or in customers' homes to fit or repair doors, window frames, stairs, floorboards, cupboards, roof trusses and partitions. They use traditional woodworking tools as well as specialised power or hand tools for cutting, shaping, smoothing and finishing.

Our study programmes include a vocational course, English and maths, work experience and employability skills.

Students also have the opportunity to take part in sport and enrichment activities alongside their course.

You can easily transfer from a study programme onto a site carpentry apprenticeship course or a bench joinery apprenticeship course, if you secure employment in the Carpentry and Joinery industry.

Course content

On this carpentry & joinery course you will study:

• How to create drawings and cutting lists
• How to mark out and cut traditional joints
• How to manufacture various carpentry components e.g. windows, doors and staircases
• How to fix various carpentry components e.g. floorboards, cupboards and roof trusses
• How to calculate and cost materials
• How to set up and use a range of hand and power tools

No matter what level you are currently working at, you will continue learning English and maths throughout your course. 

Entry requirements

Before enrolment, all students must attend a minimum of one welcome day where they will be assessed by a tutor.

The Level 1 qualification ideally requires a minimum of 4 GCSEs, including English and maths, at grade 2 or above. Any students who do not have, or are not predicted, the required 4 GCSEs will be interviewed by both curriculum staff and Student Services.

All L1 students who do not have 4 GCSEs at grade 2 or above, including maths and English, will automatically be placed on a L1 Extended Certificate.

Students will be assessed in the first 6 weeks of the course and their programme could change depending on their ability.

All late starters who cannot attend a welcome day will be interviewed, regardless of their GCSE predicted grades or results, by both vocational and Student Services staff.

To speak with an adviser, please call 0113 222 6002.

What can I do after this course?

After completing this course there are a number of options available; depending on your final grade you could move onto a site carpentry apprenticeship or the bench joinery apprenticeship,  a level 2 or level 3 certificate/diploma or seek employment in the industry.