The industry today — jobs, demand and future
Where carpenters work, and what is driving the trade forward
Wood is one of the oldest building materials we have, and the joinery work is found everywhere in the built environment — in windows, doors, stairs, floors, kitchens and fitted furniture. This makes the trade broad, meaning a trained building joiner can find work in many different places.
§Where carpenters work
Many building carpenters are employed in carpentry companies that work with construction and renovation. Others work in companies that manufacture doors, windows and furniture — some places with extensive use of computer-controlled machinery. Some carpenters also end up starting their own business, because the trade can both be carried out in a company and as an independent craftsman.
- 01Joinery and building companies doing new construction and renovation
- 02Manufacturers of windows, doors, stairs, kitchens and fixed furniture
- 03Specialty workshops with custom-made furniture and fine carpentry
- 04Own business as self-employed carpenter.
§Demand for skilled hands.
The construction industry has for a long time needed skilled professionals and crafts such as carpentry are among the educations where broadly speaking there are good opportunities to get work after completed education. Demand fluctuates with the economy — construction is sensitive to the economy — but wood and the built environment must always be maintained and that gives the trade a stable foundation.
§Energy renovation and sustainability
One of the strongest trends in construction is energy renovation. When old buildings need to use less energy, the carpenter plays a lead role: windows and doors are some of the places where heat escapes, and replacement and sealing is carpentry work. At the same time, wood is a renewable material, and focus on sustainable building is pushing towards more use of wood — good news for the profession.
§Digital and computer-controlled machines
The workshop has changed. Computer-controlled machines that cut and mill according to a digital drawing have become common, especially in manufacturing companies. This does not mean that the craft disappears — adaptation, assembly and finishing still require a skilled carpenter — but it means that understanding drawings, dimensions and machines is part of the modern trade.
§A trade with multiple directions
Because building carpenters fall under the broader carpentry education together with among others furniture carpenters and machine carpenters there are related directions right next door. This gives a skilled carpenter the opportunity to move towards for example furniture production or more industrial manufacturing if interest pulls that way later in working life.