A carpentry apprenticeship will give you the skills and knowledge needed to become a qualified tradie and kick-start a rewarding career. But before you get started, there might be one question you’re asking yourself – how much can I earn?
To answer this, we dig a little deeper into the kind of apprentice wages you can expect, as well as what your carpentry career and earning potential in Australia looks like.
Apprentice Wages 2019
According to PayScale, average salary or wage rates for a carpenter apprentice in Australia are:
- $15.01 – $21.98 per hour
- $22,665 – $47,012 per year
One of the major incentives for doing a carpentry apprenticeship is getting paid while you learn. While many of your friends might still be at high school or university, you’ll be out in the world making a living and developing sought-after skills.
Let’s start with the basics. To earn apprentice wages, you’ll have to sign a training contract with your employer and undertake the CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry (Carpenters). Once your carpentry apprenticeship is set up, you can start bringing in the money.
Wondering why there aren’t set wage rates? That’s because your earnings change during the course of your apprenticeship. For example, your 3rd-year carpenter wages will be higher than your 1st-year carpenter wages.
There are two ways you can move to the next level of an apprenticeship:
- Time-based. You’ll move to the next pay level after you’ve worked a certain amount of time (e.g. 12 months).
- Competency-based. You’ll move to the next pay level when you’ve achieved a certain amount of the total skill or training requirements of your apprenticeship (this might be earlier than 12 months).
The one that applies to you will depend on which award you’re covered by. To wrap your head around the finer details of this, as well as your workplace rights and obligations, it’s best to visit the Australian Government’s Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Take Our Quiz to Find Out Your Earning Potential
Qualified Apprentices Wages
Once you’ve completed your carpentry apprenticeship, your earning potential starts to open up. According to PayScale, qualified carpenters in Australia earn an average salary from around $40,000 to $90,000 a year.
How much you earn also depends on who you work for, how often, and what type of carpentry work you do. Like most careers, the more experienced you become, the more you are likely to be able to earn.
Qualified carpenters can also start their own business. Depending on how business savvy and successful you are, there’s really no limit to what you can earn. Plus, the demand for qualified carpenters in Australia is strong. This means no matter what field of carpentry you’re interested in, the job prospect looks promising.
How To Find A Carpentry Apprenticeship
At Builders Academy Australia, we can help you start your carpentry career with our CPC30211 Certificate III in Carpentry (Carpenters). Once you’ve completed your carpentry apprenticeship, you’ll have the skills, knowledge and techniques needed to start earning at the wage rates of qualified carpenters.
Whether you’re fresh out of high school or itching for a career change, this course is a fantastic entry point into the industry. At BAA, we’re committed to giving you the highest level of education and training. With strong connections in the industry, we offer a great way to lay the foundations for your career.
Study at Builders Academy Australia
When you become a qualified carpenter, you’ll have the opportunity to enrol in the CPC40110 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building). This course is your next step towards owning your own business and becoming a registered builder.
You can then take it up a notch and enrol in the CPC50210 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building). Armed with this nationally recognised qualification, you can make a living in a number of carpentry jobs, such as a project supervisor, building manager, site supervisor, estimator, project manager or foreperson.
According to PayScale, some of these higher-level carpentry jobs in the building and construction industry can earn you well over $150,000 a year. Compared to other industries in Australia, the earning potential in building and construction is really impressive. The best part? It can all begin with a carpentry apprenticeship.
How Much Can I Earn As A Carpenter?
At Builders Academy Australia, we’re here to help you start your journey. If you’re interested in a carpentry apprenticeship, would like to know more about apprentice wages through a Certificate III in Carpentry, take our quiz to find out your earning potential.
Take Our Quiz to Find Out Your Earning Potential
This blog was updated on 12 June, 2019.