What to Expect

Many carpentry programs emphasize practical learning. However, students also have to spend time in the classroom.

Mike Peters took a carpentry pre-apprenticeship program. He says his program involved two hours of theory every day. The rest of the day was spent working and learning in the shop.

Students in Peters' program take classes on the care and use of hand tools, basic blueprint reading, roof framing, stair construction and accident prevention -- to name just a few.

According to Peters, the best part of carpentry is that it teaches students a broad range of practical skills.

"You learn a bit of everything," he says. "It gives you a wide field of knowledge so you can be handier in your life."

Different students find different aspects of carpentry difficult. For some, it's the dexterity required for fine finishing. Others say that physical labor is the toughest part. For Peters, the most difficult aspect of carpentry was concrete work.

Peters says carpentry students are required to do a moderate amount of homework -- about an hour a night.

Ron Gibb studied carpentry and cabinetry at Spokane Community College. He estimates that he spent two hours on homework each day, "mainly reading and answering questions on what we read."

In Peters' program, students pay for tuition, books and modules. Project materials, however, are covered.

"If you wanted to build your own projects," adds Peters, "you'd have to pay for materials."

How to Prepare

Gibb says high school students can prepare for carpentry programs by studying as much math as possible.

"Some of my classmates seemed to struggle with...the amount of math required for some tasks. A good knowledge of basic algebra and geometry is very helpful for some of the design and problem-solving tasks," he explains.

He adds that high school students should also take any wood shop classes they can.

Also, Gibb suggests that high school students work on their teamwork skills by participating in team sports.