Carpentry belongs to the second economic sector and performs tasks like repairing, constructing and installing building frameworks or installing kitchen cabinets. A carpenter comes under the category of skilled labor. The job of a carpenter comes under the category of blue-collar jobs. Blue-collar jobs involve manual labor. The common field of work of blue-collar services is that of manufacturing, construction, mining as well as maintenance. The carpenter primarily used wood to make furniture and other accessories. In simple terms, a carpenter is a person who with the help of wood, makes things. A carpenter is also called a woodworker. It is necessary to understand the role of Carpenters in our day to day lives. The duty of a carpenter extends much more to just sawing woods and then mailing a few nails into the wood slab. Know more about carpenter interview questions.
WORKPLACES THAT NEEDS A CARPENTER
Moreover, the Carpenters work in a variety of workplaces including schools, homes, buildings such as hospitals, residential or commercial settings. He is capable of making benches, beds, cupboards, shelves, chairs, and many more. To be a good and skilled worker it is important to have good knowledge of tools, and it is necessary to know and understand measurements. Sometimes it is also mandatory for a carpenter to have an imaginary mind. For example, it is good if the carpenter makes an imaginary chair in his mind and then makes a blueprint of that chair. If he follows this, it is easier for him to work according to his planning and make good furniture or any other different types of items. A carpenter is an indispensable part of the construction industry. Apart from building furniture, another important role of a carpenter includes laying a foundation of the buildings, making cage foundations of the stairs, installing beams and making wood trims. It would be difficult for the builder to complete any work without the help of a hard-working and dedicated carpenter. It was observed that apprenticeship is a better way to learn the skills of carpentry.
APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
Apprenticeship is a training program or course that trains workers of this generation to become masters of that skill. The program focuses on classroom learning as well as practical skills to have better hands-on work. The person gaining knowledge through the Apprenticeship program is called an apprentice. Through this program, any person can gain knowledge of any form of trade, art or any other service or job. This program trains a person to become a skilled worker in any preferable field. This program was designed with the motive to develop skills into an effective and efficient workforce.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR A CARPENTER
There are many personal as well as professional questions that are needed to be asked while hiring a person. Following are the list of questions that are needed to be asked while interviewing a carpenter:-
• What are your educational qualifications and background?
Before hiring any person for a job, it is mandatory to know that person’s educational qualifications. It is necessary to know the background of their person. It would be difficult to hire them. Also, in this way, the requirements of the job or service will not be fulfilled. Moreover, this is a known fact that a person’s education and the person’s salary are closely correlated. A higher salary is paid to the person who has higher knowledge, degree or education or relevant skills. When it comes to a carpenter, the one who has qualified from the Apprenticeship program is much more preferable to others. There is no certified educational qualification to become a carpenter. However, there are various certificate programs through the Apprenticeship program. That makes it easier for the builders and industry managers to
collaborate with the carpenters they want to work for. But apart from certificates or a degree, It is more important that he has good math skills so that he is handy with mesuration, and can manage the area well. Also, the carpenter must have good dexterity. Carpentry involves working with many tools in which coordination of hand and eye is required. It is necessary to avoid any kind of injury or an inevitable accident.
• How to ensure that the measurements are accurate?
A good carpenter is capable of solving mathematical and measurement equations in less time. Creating well-designed furniture needs precise measurements. Also, in modern times, due to lack of space these days, constructors prefer to build in-built and easily convertible furniture. In such a situation the carpenters should have keen knowledge of mathematics and are friendly to use geometry and measurements. Also, he needs to make multiple
measurement marks and at the same time, hence it is generally preferable for a carpenter to know the basics of maths. Another main reason for a carpenter to rely on maths is that they need to determine the number of supplies such as wooden blocks and other materials that can be determined through maths. That’s why while interviewing, it is necessary to know if that person is familiar with measurement techniques. Moreover, in some cases the carpenter is the one who determines the amount of wood for various purposes such as subflooring, making toy boxes, porches, desks etc. Many people prefer to make customized rooms or hotels by hiring constructors and interior designers. In such cases, it will be hard for the carpenter to cope-up with the work, that is why the carpenter must understand the need for measurements and be handy with it so that the interior remains as planned by the constructor. Also, an efficient carpenter can handle a broader workplace. It may include making kitchen cabinets, designing wardrobes or making wooden pulls. For this type of work at large, measurements play a very supportive role.
• What are the safety steps that must be taken?
It is important to take proper safety precautions for all the employees who belong to the category of blue-collar jobs. So while interviewing carpenters it is important to ask him if he knows all the safety precautions that are to be taken at a workplace or not. There are so many stories of Carpenters who don’t know how to use axes and other machinery, they end up cutting their organs and then turning into amputees. Many workers go through the disasters of chopping their hands or getting injured while chopping a wooden block. Such incidents also increase the burden on the economy as people of the working class have turned into a dependent population. Therefore, it is necessary to know if the person you are interviewing is well aware of all the machines and instruments he is working with. Also, for all the companies, construction sites, builders and safety of their employees and workers is the priority. The carpenter who is applying for any company or is working under any constructor must also ensure if the company is capable of providing them with enough safety measures or not. It includes protective clothing like gloves, glasses, shields, long boots as well as long-sleeved clothes. Also, the constructor should provide the carpenters with greased and well-oiled machines and axes and a good salary for the work done by them.
• Why did you opt for this field?
While hiring or recruiting people for any service it is necessary to know why the person has chosen that particular field or that job. Since carpentry does not require any degree of mastery and is skill-based, many people may not have an interest in carpentry. For example, in many places many people have chosen it as a career because of some links in this field or might have found it easy. In such conditions, there is generally a lack of dedication towards their work and the scope of innovation and commencing new ideas die then and there. Therefore, while hiring, it is mandatory to know the reason for their keen interest In that field. On the other hand, some people enjoy turning a wooden blog into a creative artwork like a chair or stool or even a swing set. Today, many people prefer buying wooden frame artworks for their homes, therefore they need skilled carpenters who are comfortable in using all the tools and instruments and are also dedicated and are working. Carpentry is a skill that needs lots of patience and dedication, which could hardly be found in a person these days. Also, it is easier for the constructors, builders and other managers to work with carpenters who have chosen this field by their own will and not under any form of undue influence or other family or economic issues.
• What type of machinery are you most familiar with?
The work of carpentry can be divided into two forms, one is of traditional methods in which older tools were used and the other forms of carpentry in modern-day carpentry. In modern carpentry, modern-day tools and instruments are used and given much more importance than traditional tools. Traditional tools include iron nails, hammers, axes, stabs and many more. Modern-day tools include electronic instruments such as drilling machines, electric cutters etc. Machine-made furniture is more precise and takes less time to complete. That is why machine-made furniture is more preferred than hand-made furniture. While hiring, one mandatory thing to know about a carpenter is what kind of tools the person is most familiar with. These days many companies prefer to hire workers who are familiar with modern-day technology. It reduces the company’s load of hiring more and more laborers. Also, the new technology can complete its task in comparatively less time and with the help of even lesser workers. Also, we are in an era that has an interchange between traditional practices and accepting modern technologies. This transaction has its pros and cons. That’s why there are few people as well as some institutions that prefer traditional and handmade items over technology or machine-made items and vice versa. In some places, the cost of hand-made items is much higher than that of a machine-made item because of its delicacy and precisely detailed work. Due to the easy availability of the different types of materials such as iron, steel, plastic and other types of metal the demand for wooden furniture has also declined. Moreover, due to many governmental rules and regulations on cutting trees and the increasing rate of environmental problems, the trend of pure wooden furniture has diminished. And the cost of it has risen. For these reasons, it is good for the company to know that through what tools and instruments the carpenter will be working with. So that they can be hired according to the needs of the market.
• Which is your specialized furniture?
There is a variety of furniture that carpenters can make like sofa, chair, bench, table, bed, cupboard, shelves, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, doors, window grills, wooden frames, wooden toys and more. When a housing company hires a team of Carpenters, it is expected that they are specialized in making home furniture and kitchen cabinets. Similarly, if the contractor hires a team of Carpenters for making benches for schools. It is expected that the team of those carpenters are specialized in framing desks, chairs and tables. That’s why while interviewing a carpenter it is important to know about his interest or about the form of furniture he is good at making.
• Are you capable of repairing the old furniture?
In today’s time re-using and repairing old things, this decreases the already existing garbage. Also, many times it is seen that a simple repair in a thing can give it a whole new look. Carpenters must also have knowledge of repairing furniture. Some doors, sofas or cabinets can be easily repaired and do not need to be replaced. Also, it is seen that while shifting many furniture gets destroyed due to negligence. These can be easily repaired with the help of a good and experienced carpenter.
CONCLUSION
While interviewing a carpenter there are few points that need to be focused on. This helps to receive a better understanding of the person’s work and experience. There can be many personal as well as professional questions at the time of interview. It depends on the hiring criteria of the company.
