As a carpenter, you’re needed for just about everything structural: constructing and erecting facilities and plants and assisting ongoing and turnaround maintenance activities by building construction supports such as scaffolds or braces. As you gain experience, you may move into a leadership role. Because your work interlocks so precisely with that of other trades, your coordination skills make you a strong overseer of construction projects. Does this kind of work hit the nail on the head?
Carpenters are needed in the energy industry for just about everything structural, including constructing and erecting facilities and plants and assisting ongoing and turnaround maintenance activities by building construction supports such as scaffolds or braces.
Carpenters build, shape and cut materials to specified measurements, assemble and fasten components, or install windows, frames and flooring. They can choose to specialize as well. For example, cribbing and framing appeals to those who can handle the heavy lifting associated with oil and gas and other industrial construction.
I'm interested in a career in
- Sub-sector Oil and gas services
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary $32,000 to $77,000
- Education High school diploma
In this occupation activities may include:
- Studying specifications in blueprints, sketches and building plans to prepare a project layout and determine dimensions and the materials required
- Selecting and ordering lumber and other required material
- Building and repairing cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors and other wooden fixtures using woodworking machines, carpenter’s hand tools and power tools
- Erecting scaffolding or ladders for assembling structures above ground level
- Finishing surfaces of woodwork and wallboard using paint, hand tools and paneling
- Installing structures and fixtures such as windows, frames, floorings, trim and hardware using carpenter’s hand or power tools
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
- H2S Alive®
- Confined Space entry
- Fall protection
Licensing
- Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program is required to become a certified tradesperson. Another route to apprenticeship training is a pre-apprenticeship foundation program.
- The Red Seal endorsement is the interprovincial standard of excellence, and is available to tradespersons upon successful completion of the Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Minimal or no travel
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
You’re on the level. Precise angles, measurements and efficient calculations rely on your solid math skills. This job appeals to those with good multitasking and observation skills.
- Building and construction
- Active listening
- Selecting equipment
- Installing equipment
- Attention to detail
- Public safety and security
- Document use
- Maintaining equipment
- Judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
- Sub-sector Contracted and turnaround maintenance, Construction
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as a carpenter in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the contracted and turnaround maintenance and construction project life cycle phases of industrial construction and maintenance in energy.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Studying specifications in blueprints, sketches and building plans to prepare a project layout and determine dimensions and the materials required
- Selecting and ordering lumber and other required material
- Building and repairing cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors and other wooden fixtures using woodworking machines, carpenter’s hand tools and power tools
- Erecting scaffolding or ladders for assembling structures above ground level
- Finishing surfaces of woodwork and wallboard using paint, hand tools and paneling
- Installing structures and fixtures such as windows, frames, floorings, trim and hardware using carpenter’s hand or power tools
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
- H2S Alive®
- Confined Space entry
- Fall protection
Licensing
- Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program is required to become a certified tradesperson. Another route to apprenticeship training is a pre-apprenticeship foundation program.
- The Red Seal endorsement is the interprovincial standard of excellence, and is available to tradespersons upon successful completion of the Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to industrial construction and maintenance include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Travel required (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Work away from home/in camps (contracted and turnaround maintenance)
- Physical work (contracted and turnaround maintenance)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Freelance/contract opportunities (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Safety-sensitive environment (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Transition to a similar level (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction)
- Rural location (contracted and turnaround maintenance)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Minimal or no travel
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
You’re on the level. Precise angles, measurements and efficient calculations rely on your solid math skills. This job appeals to those with good multitasking and observation skills.
- Building and construction
- Active listening
- Selecting equipment
- Installing equipment
- Attention to detail
- Public safety and security
- Document use
- Maintaining equipment
- Judgment and decision making
- Planning and organizing
