Building & fixing
What does a
carpenter do?
Builds and repairs things from wood, such as furniture and doors.
A career guide for curious students · Grades 3–12
A day in the life
Measures, cuts, joins, and finishes wood following a design, often for a customer.
Skills to practise
Measuring, steady hands, creativity.
How to explore this path
Apprenticeship or a skills course.
Training, qualifications and professional rules vary by country. Check current local requirements with a teacher or careers counsellor.
School subjects & interests
Carpenter connects with Maths, Art. You may enjoy this work if you like hands-on, creative.
TRY A LITTLE OF THIS CAREER
A hands-on activity
Measure a small box with a ruler and design a toy-sized table on paper.
Ask an adult to help. Follow the safety notes in the activity. Print this activity or save it as a PDF in your chosen language. Downloadable PDF files are in English.
For younger explorers: a simpler explanation
What do they do?
Carpenters make tables, chairs, and doors from wood.
What helps?
Measuring well and being careful and creative.
Learning about the path
You learn by working with an expert or taking a course.
Questions to explore next
- Which part of this work sounds most interesting to me?
- What did I enjoy when I tried the activity?
- What could I ask someone who works in this field?