Carpentry

a year ago

The Carpentry student who successfully completes four years of the program will, at a minimum, be able to do “rough work” and “finish work” in both residential and commercial settings. They will be able to construct and repair building frameworks and structures such as stairs, doorframes, partitions, joists, and rafters. They will be able to work with wood and other materials. Students will also have the ability to install siding, drywall, and cabinetry.

Graduates of our Carpentry program will graduate with the following skills and competencies:

  • The ability to demonstrate health and safety practices on all  related equipment and materials specific to Carpentry

  • The ability to describe the basic layout of a set of construction documents

  • The ability to identify, explain, and use specifications for a construction project

  • The ability to demonstrate the fundamentals of carpentry

  • The ability to describe and demonstrate the use and care of hand tools

  • The ability to recognize and describe the use of building materials

  • The ability to demonstrate the use, storage, and maintenance of sawing tools

  • The ability to describe and demonstrate the use and maintenance of ladders and brackets

  • The ability to describe and apply the factors in the construction of floor framing systems

  • The ability to demonstrate practices related to exterior finish

  • The ability  to demonstrate commercial carpentry tasks

  • The ability to identify energy efficient materials and their use

Our graduates are not limited to entry-level positions in the field of carpentry. Higher level positions are vast and vary in both the general industry as well as specialty areas within the industry. Graduates of our Carpentry program, who take post-graduate training and/or industry specialized training, might choose to specialize in one of the following examples of technical career areas:

  • Civil Engineer (would require the ability to design, build, supervise, operate and maintain construction projects and systems in both the public and private sectors often targeting a profession such as transportation, structural or geotechnical engineering)

  • Structures engineer (would require the ability to design, plan, inspect, and oversee the development of the latest buildings and bridges or modifications and extensions to an existing property or other structure)

  • Architect (would require the ability to plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures ensuring that they are functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of future occupants)

  • Building inspector (would require the ability to coordinate with landowners or institutions to verify code regulations compliance, submit work orders and permits, provide expense forecasting for development, identify cost reduction techniques and high quality construction materials)

  • Construction managers (would require the ability to collaborate with architects and engineers along with the ability to hire construction workers such as carpenters, electricians and laborers)

  • General contractor/project manager ( would require the ability to plan, coordinate, budget, and oversee construction projects from inception through completion)

  • Building inspector (would require the ability to ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, as well as zoning regulations and contract specifications)

  • Construction estimator ( would require the ability to collect and analyze data in order to estimate the time, money, materials, and labor needed to manufacture a product, construct a building, or provide a service along with the ability to determine all project requirements, estimate metrics, including cost-analysis procedures and area inspection to   spot potential inconsistencies, mitigate risks, and address production gaps)

  • Carpentry supervisor (would require the ability to gather and maintain information, to inspect equipment, structures and materials, to handle and move objects, to organize, plan, and prioritize work, to schedule projects, to estimate time and materials, and to supervise subordinates)

  • Carpentry foreman ( would require the ability to gather information, to communicate effectively with supervisors, peers, and subordinates, to organize, plan, and coordinate work, to inspect equipment, structures, and materials, and to enforce industry standards and safety practices while delivering projects on time)

  • Commercial carpenter (would require specialized training in the building and remodeling of commercial office buildings, hospitals, hotels, schools, and shopping malls, as well as specialized training in structural engineering , including working with light-gauge and load-bearing steel framing for interior partitions, exterior framing, and curtain wall construction, along with the ability to work on even more complicated and sophisticated structures)

  • Industrial carpenter (would require specialized training on civil engineering projects and in industrial settings where they would be required to build scaffolding, create and set forms for pouring concrete, build tunnel bracing, build concrete forms for bridges, dams, power plants, or sewers)

  • Finish carpenter (would require the ability to perform the final touches on houses after the structure is fully built along with experience in just about every aspect of residential construction)

  • Residential carpenter (would require specialization in single-family, townhouse, and condominium building and remodeling)

Graduates of our Carpentry program have the opportunity to secure the following industry-recognized certifications:

  • OSHA 10-Hour Card and Certificate

Following are the qualities and skills that are necessary for success in the field of Carpentry:

  • Business skills (such as estimating) are necessary for the self-employed carpenter, who must be able to bid on new jobs, track inventory (Including tools and materials), and plan work assignments

  • Mechanical skills are necessary to take apart major parts for repairs and be able to put them back together

  • Dexterity is necessary in order to perform the many tasks that require steady hands and good eye-hand coordination

  • Detail orientation is necessary because carpenters perform numerous tasks that require precise measurements

  • Math skills are necessary because carpenters use basic math skills on a daily basis in order to calculate volume and measure materials to be cut

  • Physical stamina is necessary because carpenters often climb, stand, or bend for long periods of time and often work in adverse weather conditions

  • Physical strength is necessary because tools and materials are often heavy

  • Problem-solving skills are necessary because construction projects vary and carpenters must be able to make adjustments to accommodate these variations

Frameworks

The Carpentry Frameworks identify the competencies that students will have the opportunity to learn in a four-year time span. 

Articulation Agreements

State articulation agreements are a uniform and consistent way for students in our Carpentry program to enroll in any Massachusetts community college and be awarded credits for work completed at Chicopee Comprehensive High School. Our Carpentry program has an additional local articulation agreement with Keene State College, which recognizes credits beyond the standard 3 credit state recognition.

These agreements allow for a seamless continuation of education for our students.