Build Practical Carpentry Skills for a New Direction
Course price: £1,400 including VAT
Courses starting from October 2026: £1,500 including VAT due to increased material costs.
- Duration: Ten training days, normally Monday to Friday over two weeks
- Course times: 9:00am–4:00pm
- Experience required: None
- Class size: Maximum six students
- Location: YTA Training, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9NW
- Training style: Intensive, practical and hands-on
- Qualification: This course is non-accredited. A NOCN Cskills Level 1 upgrade is available for an additional £400.
VIEW AVAILABLE DATES AND BOOK | CALL 01274 682199
The 10 Day Intensive Carpentry and Joinery Course is designed for beginners and career changers who want more than an introduction to carpentry. It gives you two focused weeks to learn essential skills, take on more advanced techniques and begin building the confidence needed to use those skills beyond the training centre.
You may be looking for a complete career change, thinking about earning additional income alongside your current job or hoping to add carpentry to an existing trade or property-maintenance business. You might eventually want to work for yourself, join a small building company or find a role with a housing association, maintenance contractor or larger employer.
Whatever your longer-term aim, every new direction has to begin somewhere. These ten days can give you the practical foundation, confidence and clearer sense of direction needed to take that first serious step.
Could Carpentry Become More Than Just an Interest?
Many of our students arrive at YTA because they want something to change.
They may be tired of office work, concerned about the future of their current job or simply want to learn a practical skill that could create new opportunities. Some want to begin taking on smaller carpentry jobs at weekends, gradually building their experience, tools, customer base and confidence before deciding whether self-employment could become a realistic full-time option.
Others would prefer the security of employment and want practical training that could help them approach small builders, carpentry businesses, property-maintenance companies, housing associations or local-authority contractors.
The course cannot turn a complete beginner into an experienced carpenter in ten days. That comes through continued practice and real-world experience. What it can do is move you from thinking about change to actively developing useful, practical skills.
You do not need previous experience. You need the willingness to learn, practise and build on what you achieve.
Who Is the 10 Day Carpentry and Joinery Course For?
This course is particularly suitable for:
- Career changers wanting to explore carpentry and joinery seriously
- Complete beginners wanting a stronger foundation than a five-day course can provide
- People hoping to develop towards self-employment
- People wanting to begin earning additional income alongside their current job
- Those hoping to find employment with builders, maintenance businesses or housing organisations
- Existing tradespeople wanting to add carpentry and joinery to the services they offer
- Handymen and property-maintenance workers wanting to take on a wider range of work
- Landlords and property developers wanting practical renovation skills
- Homeowners undertaking larger improvement projects
- Students considering progressing to a Level 1 qualification and eventually an NVQ Level 2
What Makes the Ten-Day Course Different?
The ten-day course is not simply the five-day course repeated twice.
The additional training time allows you to reinforce the essential skills taught during the first week and then move on to more challenging carpentry techniques, larger projects and realistic problems that do not always appear in a perfectly square training exercise.
You will have more time to improve your measuring, marking, cutting, jointing and finishing. You can revisit techniques that need further practice, ask more questions and work through tasks that require greater accuracy and problem-solving.
Depending on your progress and the projects being completed, advanced training can include roof construction, making timber projects such as gates, using the joints you have learned in larger pieces of work and dealing with awkward situations such as out-of-square openings, uneven partitions or doors that require adjustment.
These are the types of challenges that help turn individual techniques into more rounded, usable carpentry skills.
What You Will Learn
Tools, Timber and Accurate Preparation
- Correct and safe use of common carpentry and joinery hand tools
- Selecting and using different saws for different tasks
- Sharpening and using chisels correctly
- Using appropriate power tools under instruction
- Accurate measuring, marking and cutting
- Understanding timber, fixings and materials
- Developing good working habits and accuracy
Woodwork Joints and Joinery Skills
- Marking and producing a range of commonly used woodwork joints
- Progressing from straightforward joints to more challenging examples
- Using joints within practical timber projects
- Improving chisel control, saw accuracy and finishing
- Understanding where different joints may be used
Stud Partitioning and Door Openings
- Understanding the terminology used in partitioning
- Planning and setting out a timber stud partition
- Selecting the materials and fixings required
- Producing and assembling studwork
- Forming a doorway within the partition
- Constructing and fitting a door lining or frame
- Working through less straightforward or out-of-square situations
Door Hanging, Locks and Ironmongery
- Preparing a door and lining for hinges
- Chopping hinges accurately using a chisel
- Hanging and adjusting a door
- Understanding door clearances and alignment
- Fitting door furniture, latches and locks
- Practising techniques before completing them on your main project
- Working through awkward doors and openings that require adjustment
Skirting, Architrave and Second-Fix Carpentry
- Measuring and fitting skirting boards
- Fitting architrave around a doorway
- Cutting internal and external corners
- Producing accurate mitres
- Scribing joints for a better fit
- Working with mouldings and common second-fix materials
- Improving the accuracy and finish of completed work
Advanced Carpentry Skills and Projects
- Using learned joints and techniques within larger timber projects
- Constructing practical items such as timber gates or similar woodworking projects
- Understanding and constructing basic pitched-roof sections
- Measuring, marking and cutting roof components
- Developing confidence with more involved carpentry tasks
- Dealing with realistic problems where surfaces and openings are not perfectly square
- Additional practice in areas you may want to develop or specialise in
Ten Days to Build a Stronger Foundation
Confidence in carpentry comes from doing the work yourself. Watching a demonstration is useful, but the real learning happens when you measure, cut, assemble, make adjustments and understand why something has or has not fitted correctly.
With a maximum class size of six students, you have the opportunity to ask questions, receive instructor support and spend the majority of the course working practically.
By the end of the ten days, you should have a much clearer understanding of the trade and a practical foundation that you can continue developing through further projects, work experience, employment, additional training or carefully selected paid work within your competence.
Serious About a Carpentry Career? Consider Adding Level 1
The standard 10 Day Carpentry and Joinery Course and the 10 Day NOCN Cskills Level 1 Carpentry and Joinery Course cover essentially the same practical skills.
The important difference is that Level 1 students also undertake formal NOCN Cskills assessments during the course.
The Level 1 route currently includes assessment in:
- Door lining
- Hanging a door
- Skirting and architrave
Successful completion of these assessments provides six Level 1 credits and a NOCN Cskills unit-accreditation certificate in Skills for Carpentry and Joinery.
The Level 1 upgrade costs an additional £400 and can currently be selected by the third day of your course.
If you are investing ten days because you genuinely want to build a future in carpentry, the Level 1 route is worth serious consideration. You will be completing essentially the same practical training, but the assessments give you recognised evidence of the Level 1 units you have achieved.
EXPLORE THE 10 DAY LEVEL 1 CARPENTRY AND JOINERY COURSE
Level 1 Can Keep Both Career Routes Open
Not everybody who wants a carpentry career is ready to become self-employed immediately.
You may like the idea of eventually working for yourself but feel apprehensive about finding customers, pricing jobs, buying tools or giving up the security of your existing income. That is completely understandable.
A Level 1 qualification can provide a starting point for approaching potential employers and showing that you have invested in practical training and successfully completed assessed carpentry units.
This may be useful when applying to:
- Small building and carpentry companies
- Property-maintenance businesses
- Housing associations and their contractors
- Local-authority maintenance contractors
- Construction and refurbishment companies
- Kitchen-fitting and home-improvement businesses
- Carpenters looking for an assistant or improver
A Level 1 certificate cannot guarantee employment, and you will still need to continue developing your experience. However, it can give an employer something tangible to consider and demonstrate that you have taken your first training seriously.
It also leaves the self-employment route open. You may begin in employment, work alongside an experienced carpenter or start with smaller weekend projects before gradually deciding which direction suits you.
Your Possible Route from Beginner to NVQ Level 2
The Level 1 course can be the first recognised step in a longer carpentry and joinery career.
- Complete your practical training and Level 1 assessed units.
- Continue practising and gaining genuine occupational experience through employment, working alongside experienced tradespeople, property projects or self-employment.
- Build evidence of your competence across the range of work required for your chosen NVQ pathway.
- After at least three years of relevant trade experience, you may be able to undertake an NVQ Level 2 through the OSAT route, subject to having the required skills and workplace evidence.
- Experienced carpenters with five years or more in the trade may be suitable for the faster EWPA assessment route, subject to meeting its occupational requirements.
OSAT stands for On-Site Assessment and Training. An assessor observes and gathers evidence of your work while you are operating in the trade.
EWPA stands for Experienced Worker Practical Assessment. It is designed for experienced workers who can already demonstrate the full range of skills required by the NVQ.
Neither route awards an NVQ automatically based on time served. You must have developed the necessary occupational competence and satisfy the assessment requirements.
For full details, visit YTA’s NVQ Level 2 OSAT information page and Site Carpentry NVQ Level 2 EWPA page.
Five-Day, Ten-Day or Level 1 Carpentry Course?
5 Day Carpentry and Joinery Course
Best suited to:
Beginners wanting essential practical carpentry skills in one focused week.
Current price:
£700 including VAT
Qualification:
Non-accredited practical training
10 Day Carpentry and Joinery Course
Best suited to:
Career changers wanting core and advanced skills, larger projects and more practical experience.
Current price:
£1,400 including VAT
Qualification:
Non-accredited practical training
YOU ARE VIEWING THIS COURSE
Recommended for career changers
10 Day Level 1 Carpentry and Joinery Course
Best suited to:
Career changers wanting the same practical training with recognised Level 1 assessed units.
Current price:
£1,800 including VAT
Qualification:
NOCN Cskills Level 1 unit accreditation
From October 2026, the respective prices will be £750, £1,500 and £1,900 including VAT.
Choose the Ten-Day Course If:
- You want a more substantial foundation than five days can provide
- You want to cover advanced techniques and larger projects
- You want more time to improve your accuracy and confidence
- You are considering self-employment or additional weekend work
- You want to add carpentry to an existing trade or maintenance service
- You want practical training without completing formal assessments
Choose the Ten-Day Level 1 Course If:
- You are serious about carpentry and joinery as a possible career
- You want recognised evidence of assessed Level 1 units
- You may seek employment with a builder, contractor or maintenance company
- You want to demonstrate your commitment to potential employers
- You may eventually work towards an NVQ Level 2
- You want to keep both employment and self-employment routes open
What Could You Do After the Course?
Your next step will depend on your circumstances, experience and long-term goals.
Some students continue practising at home or on renovation projects. Others work alongside an experienced carpenter, apply for assistant or improver positions or add selected carpentry tasks to an existing property-maintenance service.
You may eventually want to develop the confidence to undertake work such as stud partitioning, doors, locks, skirting, architrave, repairs, gates and other timber projects. You should only accept work that is within your competence and make sure you have the appropriate tools, insurance and business arrangements.
For some people, this becomes additional weekend income alongside a current job. For others, it develops gradually into employment, self-employment or a broader building and property-maintenance business.
The course is the beginning of that development—not the end of it.
Why Choose YTA Training?
YTA Training has delivered practical construction training since 2006 and specialises in helping adult learners, complete beginners and career changers develop hands-on trade skills.
Students on our carpentry and joinery courses benefit from:
- Maximum class sizes of six students
- Ten days of intensive hands-on training
- Beginner-friendly instruction
- Experienced carpentry trainers and assessors
- Real tools, timber, fixings and practical projects
- Dedicated carpentry and joinery training facilities
- Standard and NOCN Cskills Level 1 course routes
- NVQ Level 2 assessment routes for experienced workers
- Hundreds of independent five-star student reviews
- A specialist adult training environment
- Training at our Bradford centre in West Yorkshire
READ YTA’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT REVIEWS
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Previous Carpentry Experience?
No. The course is suitable for complete beginners. Training begins with tool use, measuring, marking, cutting and jointing before progressing to larger and more advanced projects.
Is the Ten-Day Course Just More Practice?
No. The additional time provides more practice and instructor support, but it also allows students to cover more advanced techniques, larger timber projects, roof construction and awkward situations that require greater problem-solving and accuracy.
Will I Be a Qualified Carpenter After Ten Days?
The standard ten-day course is non-accredited and does not make somebody an experienced carpenter. It provides intensive practical training and a foundation that must be developed through continued practice and real-world experience.
What Is the Difference Between the Standard and Level 1 Courses?
The practical skills taught are essentially the same. Level 1 students also undertake formal NOCN Cskills assessments during the course and, when successful, receive unit accreditation for the assessed carpentry and joinery units.
Can I Upgrade to Level 1 After Starting?
Yes. The additional £400 Level 1 upgrade can currently be selected by the third day of the course. If you are considering the qualification, speak to the YTA team as early as possible.
Will Level 1 Help Me Find Employment?
It can provide recognised evidence of the assessed units you have completed and demonstrate your commitment to training. This may support applications to builders, carpentry businesses, maintenance contractors and housing organisations, but it cannot guarantee employment.
Can This Course Help Me Become Self-Employed?
It can provide an important practical starting point. Becoming successfully self-employed also requires continued experience, suitable tools, insurance, customer service, accurate pricing and the ability to complete work safely and to an appropriate standard.
Can I Progress to an NVQ Level 2?
Potentially, once you have gained sufficient occupational experience and competence. YTA offers OSAT assessment routes for people with at least three years’ relevant trade experience and an EWPA route for experienced carpenters with five years or more.
Where Is the Course Held?
The course is held at YTA Training, Unit 12a, Spencer Business Centre, Factory Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9NW.
Students travel to YTA from across Yorkshire and the wider UK. See our travelling to YTA and local accommodation information when planning your course.
Helpful Carpentry Career Guides
- Compare YTA’s Carpentry and Joinery Courses
- How to Become a Carpenter and Joiner in the UK
- Carpenter and Joiner Salary UK
- Five-Day vs Ten-Day Carpentry Courses
- NVQ Level 2 OSAT Information
Are You Ready to Take Carpentry Seriously?
You may have been thinking about learning a trade for months or even years. The difficult part is often moving beyond thinking about it and taking the first practical step.
Over ten focused days, you can begin developing real carpentry and joinery skills, complete challenging projects and find out what you are capable of producing with the right training and support.
It could become a useful addition to your existing work, a way to earn extra money, a route into employment or the beginning of a future business of your own.
If a carpentry career is your aim, consider investing the additional £400 in the 10 Day NOCN Cskills Level 1 course. You will undertake essentially the same practical training while gaining the opportunity to achieve recognised Level 1 unit accreditation.
If there is one question or concern stopping you from booking, call YTA Training on 01274 682199 or contact us through WhatsApp. We will give you honest advice about which course best suits your goals, with no pressure to book.
VIEW AVAILABLE DATES AND BOOK THE 10 DAY COURSE
OR EXPLORE THE 10 DAY LEVEL 1 COURSE
YTA is the UK’s premier training centre for construction training and assessment backed up by outstanding independent customer reviews on www.reviews.co.uk (5 out of 5!)
| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on 17/08/2026 £1400.00 | |
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| Price increase due to material cost rises | |
| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on 05/10/2026 £1500.00 | |
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| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on first week 14/12/2026 and second week 04/01/27 £1500.00 | |
| Closed for Christmas | |
| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on 04/01/2027 £1500.00 | |
| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on 11/01/2027 £1500.00 | |
| Pay in full to start 10 day Joinery on 18/01/2027 £1500.00 |
To book please phone or book online
Unit 12a Factory Street, Dudley Hill, Bradford, BD4 9NW, West Yorkshire.
Tel: 01274682199
For more information please phone or fill in the enquiry form on the contact page
Courses are held every week Monday to Friday.
All Course Times are: 9.00am – 16.00pm