Carpenter and Joiner

A carpenter and joiner designs, fabricates, and installs wooden structures, fittings, and fixtures in residential, commercial, and industrial settings across Australia. They work with solid timber, engineered wood products, and composite materials to create and fit built-in cabinetry, flooring, doors, windows, and structural framing, adhering to the National Construction Code (NCC) and relevant Australian Standards.

Measure and mark timber and materials using tape measures, spirit levels, and marking gauges to ensure accurate dimensions and alignment. Cut, shape, and plane timber using hand tools (chisels, planes, handsaws) and power tools (circular saws, table saws, sanders) to specification. Fabricate bespoke joinery components including mortise and tenon joints, dovetails, and box joints to assemble frames, doors, and cabinetry. Install wooden flooring systems including subfloor preparation, laying timber or engineered boards, and finishing with sanding and sealing. Fit and hang internal and external doors, windows, and frames, ensuring proper operation and weather sealing compliance with NCC requirements. Construct and install built-in cabinetry, shelving units, and custom furniture to client specifications and design drawings. Inspect timber for defects, moisture content, and structural integrity before use, and select appropriate materials for the application. Apply protective finishes including staining, varnishing, and sealing using spray equipment, brushes, and chemical treatments.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Your body takes a beating: repetitive strain, back injuries, and dust inhalation are common. Work is project-based so income can be patchy between jobs. Automation is slowly replacing basic carpentry tasks.

Work concentrates in major metros where retail fit-outs and commercial projects are dense. Regional areas have steady residential work but fewer commercial jobs. Most positions aren't remote: you're on-site installing and fabricating. Work follows construction cycles and retail spending.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3312, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Customer Needs Assessment
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Inventory Tracking
• Negotiation
• Process Documentation
• Supplier Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Carpenter and Joiner workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026