Advanced carpentry and joinery / Skills England

Key information

Reference: OCC0263-
Date updated: 21/08/2023
Level: 3
Route: Construction and the built environment
Regulated occupation: No

This is not the latest approved version of this apprenticeship. View the latest version

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in both the new build and refurbishment construction sector. The construction industry is central to creating the homes, schools, hospitals, energy and transport infrastructure society needs. There is growing demand for carpenters and joiners to help meet the need for new homes.

The broad purpose of the occupation is working with building materials (most often wood) to create and install building components. This typically involves shaping and cutting materials, installing finished materials like partitions, doors, staircases, window frames, mouldings, timber floor coverings and erecting structural components such as floor joists and roofs. All work needs to be carried out safely, using the appropriate tools and to the quality specified.

This occupation includes two different options and people will either work on a construction site as an Advanced Site Carpenter or in a workshop as an Advanced Architectural Joiner:

Advanced Site Carpenters work on building sites in the construction of domestic and commercial properties, preparing and installing complex and bespoke building components. They prepare, construct and erect irregular and complex roof structures.

Advanced Architectural Joiners are employed in a workshop producing complex building components by setting out, marking out and producing assembled components requiring advanced skilled work including the full range of woodworking machines. There will sometimes be a need for refurbishment/repair work of bespoke pieces. They have an in depth knowledge of a range of manufacturing components from a range of hardwoods and softwoods.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation liaises with other construction trades such as bricklayers, plasterers and plumbers, supervisors, site management, architects, designers, contractors and customers. An Advanced Site Carpenter would generally liaise with other trades such as bricklayers, plasterers and plumbers, site management and contractors. Advanced Architectural Joiners would liaise with other workshop colleagues as well as architects, designers and customers.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working in a team, sometimes supervising others, using machinery and tools to create or refurbish/repair structures or components from the designs, plans and specifications of architects and designers that meet the client’s expectations. Having attained this level, they will be competent to progress further in the industry as team leaders, trade forepersons, contract or works managers.

Typical job titles include:

Advanced Site Carpenter Advanced Architectural Joiner

Core occupation duties

Duty	KSBs
Duty 1 Identify requirements, develop the work programme and schedule, plan their own work and that of the team accordingly, ensuring this is communicated clearly to colleagues.	K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K12 S1 S3 S4 S5 B3 B4 B5 B7
Duty 2 Complete work in respect of fire doors in accordance with current legislation.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 S1 S9 S13 S14 B3
Duty 3 Interpret technical specifications and ensure compliance with legislation/guidance relevant to the work being done.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 S1 S3 B3
Duty 4 Select the required quantity and quality of resources required for carrying out complex and non-standard work, including timber, tools and fixings.	K1 K3 K4 K6 K7 K10 K11 K12 S1 S4 S5 B3
Duty 5 Take a lead when working in a team, especially when complex or non-standard work is involved.	K1 K3 K4 K8 K12 S1 S5 S6 B3 B4 B5
Duty 6 Utilise a range of advanced skills which allow them to carry out complex carpentry or joinery work to high standards and demanding tolerances including measuring, marking out, fitting, cutting, splicing, finishing, positioning and securing.	K1 K2 K3 K4 K9 K10 K11 K12 S1 S2 S6 S7 B3 B5 B6
Duty 7 Communicate professionally with colleagues, customers and stakeholders, providing a high level of customer service at all times.	K8 B1 B2 B6
Duty 8 Carry out quality checks of own and others work against specification and take remedial action, providing instructions to others as to the work required.	K2 K8 K9 K12 S5 S6 B3 B4 B5 B7
Duty 9 Carry out pre-use checks of all tools and equipment to be used for the project by self and colleagues, providing training and instruction where necessary.	K2 K11 S2 B3 B5

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: The principles of environment, health, safety and welfare and how they must be applied in relation to their work and to others. eg electrical safety, storage of materials, accident & emergency procedures Back to Duty

K2: The responsibilities under current legislation and official guidance to undertake the work e.g. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, Manual Handling and Working at Height Regulations, Fire Door legislation Back to Duty

K3: How to use health and safety control equipment including personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment (RPE), local exhaust ventilation (LEV) Back to Duty

K4: The different workplace signs and safety notices and their meaning, how to undertake hazard identification in the workplace and the procedures for the identification and removal of hazardous waste Back to Duty

K5: The principles of building construction including foundations, roofs, walls, floors, utilities and services, BIM and environmental and sustainability considerations Back to Duty

K6: How to interpret and produce relevant information from drawings, specifications and work instructions including the basic principles of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Builiding Information Modelling (BIM) Back to Duty

K7: How to estimate resource quantities to carry out work eg quantity of fixings, length of timber. Back to Duty

K8: How to communicate and work with others effectively in the workplace Back to Duty

K9: The characteristics, quality, uses, sustainability, limitations and defects associated with timber and timber-based products and components, such as hardwood, softwood, MDF and other materials. The different energy efficiency and sustainable materials for construction Back to Duty

K10: Hand Tools : how to prepare, use, maintain and store hand tools including tool limitations and sharpening techniques e.g chisels, planes, hand saws, hammers Back to Duty

K11: Power Tools: how to prepare, use, maintain and store power tools including the procedure for undertaking visual first use check eg multi-functional tool, portable circular saws, drills, saws, planers, routers, sanders and nail guns. How to produce jigs. Back to Duty

K12: How to plan work activities for self and others in order to meet schedules and deadlines. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Apply safe working practices in accordance with current legislation, health, safety and welfare regulations, approved Codes of Practice, company guidance, site specific requirements and taking account of changing circumstances. Apply safe working techniques when manual handling, working at height and using access equipment and plant such as – fall prevention systems e.g. fall arrest, restraint and access systems, harnesses and scaffold. Back to Duty

S2: Apply safe use, storage and maintenance of hand tools, power tools and equipment including the use of PPE, LEV and RPE. Back to Duty

S3: Interpret relevant information from drawings, specifications and work instructions. Back to Duty

S4: Estimate resource quantities to carry out work taking site measurements where appropriate eg quantity of fixings, length of timber. Back to Duty

S5: Plan and undertake work practices productively. Back to Duty

S6: Carry out a range of carpentry and joinery skills including measuring, marking out, fitting, cutting, splicing, mitring, scribing, horizontal and vertical levelling (including laser levelling), finishing, positioning and securing. Back to Duty

S7: Mark out and form advanced woodworking joints including splayed and plumb joints Back to Duty

S9: Carry out second fixing work including service encasements, cladding, bespoke wall and floor units, tops, cornices and fitments, complex spindles and handrails to stairs with turns, side hung doors, ironmongery, timber mouldings, fire doors and door sets. Back to Duty

S13: Install floor joists including cut to fit, solid timber and coverings including planed, tongued and grooved (PTG) boards Back to Duty

S14: Maintain structural and non-structural carpentry work including doors, windows and structural timbers, replace glazing, reinstate surfaces, timber doors, window frames, mouldings, guttering and fixings and replace sash window cords Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Effective communication: oral, written, listening – especially in working with others Back to Duty

B2: Team work: work effectively without supervision and give leadership to others – being willing to lead a team. Back to Duty

B3: Independent working: take responsibility for completing own work and monitoring the work of others. Back to Duty

B4: Logical thinking: use clear and valid reasoning when making decisions and in achieving work targets of self and others. Back to Duty

B5: Working effectively: undertake the work in a reliable and productive manner, lead others by example. Back to Duty

B6: Time management: use own time effectively to complete work on schedule and support effective team working. Back to Duty

B7: Adaptability: be able to implement change and adjust existing requirements to meet the work instructions. Back to Duty

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

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Advanced carpentry and joinery