Carpentry and Joinery Apprenticeship

A Carpentry and Joinery apprenticeship trains you in the skilled craft of working with timber and related materials across residential, commercial, and industrial settings. You alternate between on-the-job training with an employer and off-the-job phases at a College of Further Education (ETB), typically spending roughly two-thirds of your time on site and one-third in college. You learn first-fix carpentry (structural work such as floor joists, stud walls, and roof structures) and second-fix (fitting doors, skirting boards, stairs, and window frames), along with timber frame construction and joinery skills. Practical work is central throughout, with assessments based on real tasks completed on site and in college workshops. By the end of the four-year programme, you hold a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Craft (Carpentry and Joinery).

Entry is through securing a SOLAS-registered employer who takes you on as an apprentice; without an employer, you cannot register. You typically need to be at least 16 years of age and have a minimum of grade D3 (or O6) in five subjects in the Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate, including English or Irish and Mathematics. Leaving Certificate subjects such as Construction Studies, Technical Graphics, and Physics are useful but not strictly required. There are no CAO points involved, as entry is employer-led rather than points-based. Mature applicants (over 21) may have prior relevant work experience considered in lieu of formal academic qualifications. SOLAS oversees registration, and you can find registered employers and further guidance at apprenticeship.ie.

The outlook for qualified carpenters and joiners in Ireland is strong, with persistent skills shortages across the construction trades well documented by SOLAS and industry bodies. Government housing targets, social housing programmes, and retrofitting initiatives under the National Development Plan are sustaining high demand for skilled trades. Experienced carpenters with supervisory skills or specialist expertise in timber frame or passive house construction can command premium rates. Gross annual salaries typically range from around €35,000 for newly qualified tradespeople to €55,000 or more for experienced site foremen or self-employed contractors, depending on location and specialisation.