CAREER ADVICE

Nailing It 

For young people who like to work with their hands and be creative, enjoy being outdoors and like a great deal of variety, a career as a carpenter might be the way to “hit the nail on the head.”  According to Bret Vesey, Business Agent for Carpenters Local #308, these are all traits that can indicate success as a carpenter and he recommends that young people give this some serious thought.  He estimates Local #308, with a membership of 608 people, has a shortage of approximately 15 percent skilled carpenters at this time.   

Carpenters build the foundations for buildings and build interiors and exteriors of buildings.  They build everything from homes to industrial plants, and some build roads and highways.  General carpenters do everything from framing to trim work.  Some carpenters specialize in concrete, and some specialize in interior systems such as dry wall, wood and metal studs.  People who specialize in brickwork and stonework fall into a category other than carpenter.  Carpenters work with many types of tools, including hand and power tools, such as hammers, saws, drills, sanders, adhesives, etc.  

When asked about some of the physical requirements of carpenters, Mr. Vesey explained that a carpenter must be able to lift up to 100 pounds at times so physical strength is key.  He also stated that a person who works in the carpentry occupation must be able to work in high places—lightheadedness, vertigo or a fear of heights would be prohibitive.  Currently Local #308 has two female members, and Mr. Vesey expressed his wish that more women enter this field.   

Students always are interested in knowing how much education is needed to enter into a specific career and what subjects should be stressed while in high school.  Math is of the utmost importance.  Mr. Vesey emphasized more than once during our discussion that taking four years of high school math will be needed in order to be a carpenter.  This includes, in addition to the basic general math classes, algebra and geometry.  Mr. Vesey said, “While some computer skills are needed, math is the most important subject to study while in school.”  Equally important to success are soft skills such as being punctual, reporting for work as scheduled, and putting in a full day’s work each day.  Dependability is essential to keeping a job.  Mr. Vesey said, “Local #308 needs some really good people and those with math skills and the soft skills mentioned, fit the bill.”   

How does a young person enter the carpentry world?  After graduating from high school, Mr. Vesey stated a young person should become an apprentice with the labor union.  The apprenticeship is a four-year program during which the skills and techniques needed to perform the job are learned.  Earlier it was stated that some computer skills are needed to begin an apprenticeship, but the specialty computer skills are taught while a person is an apprentice.  At the start of the apprenticeship a 19-year-old person will earn $12.50 per hour, plus receive $7.00 per hour worth of benefits such as health insurance and retirement funds.  During the apprenticeship, a five percent raise is earned every six months.   At the end of the apprenticeship program, the apprentice will receive a carpenter journeyperson’s certificate, which means the graduate is a fully skilled carpenter, and will be earning $21.43 per hour plus benefits, the current top pay for Local #308 in Cedar Rapids.  The union negotiates the pay scale and as new contracts are approved, cost of living increases may be added to the pay scales. The journeyperson will have been trained in residential, commercial and industrial building.  Mr. Vesey said that not many journeyperson’s do residential work. 

A carpenter who does well can advance to other positions in the field.  These include supervision and estimating job costs.  Mr. Vesey said, “Anybody with moxie could even start his own construction company.”   

A person can become a carpenter and work independent of a union, however.  “Independent carpenters are not tied to the wages, benefits or security of the local union,” said Mr. Vesey.  Carpenter skills would need to be learned in other ways, one of which might be exposure and experience of having worked alongside another independent carpenter such as a relative.  

When asked about stress on the job, Mr. Vesey said layoff periods could be stressful for some.  Layoffs can occur for two primary reasons, poor economic conditions and to a much lesser degree extreme weather conditions.  Generally speaking, carpenters will continue to work in all types of weather but need to keep themselves hydrated in the heat and must dress for the weather when it is bitterly cold.  Having the ability to manage income and stay within a budget is very important and this alleviates stress that a layoff might cause.  The State of Iowa’s laws authorize Iowa Workforce Development to compensate laid off workers, but not to the extent that equals their wages for working.  It is possible to receive up to 26 weeks of unemployment compensation and this further alleviates some of the stress.  

Outweighing any stress is the sense of accomplishment a carpenter experiences.  Mr. Vesey said a carpenter experiences fulfillment all the time while driving around town and seeing his or her accomplishments exhibited in the buildings.  He said, “My career has been an excellent experience for me and my family.  It’s an honorable and fulfilling way to make a living with opportunities to use your head and your hands and earn an above-average wage.” 

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