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Joiner - Personal requirements

Kaihanga Taonga a-Whare

Skills & knowledge

Joiners need to have:

woodworking and machinery skills
knowledge of how different timbers respond to being cut, glued, filed and sanded
the ability to read plans and understand technical drawing
communication skills to convey ideas to clients and other tradespeople
problem-solving skills
knowledge of safety procedures and first aid
skill caring for joinery equipment
basic maths skills.

Computer skills are helpful, as joiners may use computer software to calculate product specifications and costs of materials. Business skills are also useful if they run their own business.

A joiner talks about the skills required for his job (Flash video - 12 seconds - 589KB)

Brian Fairless checking over a length of wood that is lying on a workbench

Joiners need to have knowledge of how different timbers respond to being cut, glued, filed and sanded

Phil Schwartfeger clamping a piece of wood in preparation to work on it.

Phil Schwartfeger uses a vice to clamp a piece of wood into place

Personal Qualities

Joiners need to be:

alert and safety-conscious when using tools and machinery
accurate, with an eye for detail
able to visualise a finished product
able to follow instructions.

"You've got to be precise with all your work. When you're doing anything that fits between walls, like a bench top, you've got to work to within half a millimetre."

Jason de Wit - Joiner

Physical Requirements

Joiners need to have steady hands and good hand-eye co-ordination. They should be reasonably fit and strong, as there may be some heavy lifting required.

If joiners have asthma they need to have medication to control it and should be aware of which wood dust may affect them.