Carpenter Helpers

CAREER GUIDE FOR CARPENTER HELPERS

Standard Occupational Code: 47-3012

Pay Band: 2 (Salary Structure)

Standard Occupational Description: Helps carpenters by performing carpentry work of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Carpenter Helper positions in the Commonwealth are assigned to the following Role in the Building Trades Career Group:

Trades Technician II

While Carpenter Helpers within the Commonwealth are all located within the Building and Trades Career Group, individuals may want to pursue other opportunities within the Commonwealth depending upon individual training, education, knowledge, skills, abilities, and interests.

Other Career Group(s) that may be of interest are:

Equipment Service and Repair

Stores and Warehousing Operations

Transportation Operations

Utility Plant Operations

Engineering Technology

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND TASKS

(Technical and Functional Expertise)

Skills

Note: The technical and functional skills listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for Carpenter Helpers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the skills listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.

1. Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

2. Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Knowledge

Note: The technical and functional knowledge statements listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for Carpenter Helpers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the knowledge listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.

The Knowledge of:

1. Materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

2. Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Abilities

Note: The technical and functional abilities listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for Carpenter Helpers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the abilities listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.

The Ability to:

1. Exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

2. Use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.

3. Exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.

4. Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

5. Keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

6. Quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

7. Coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

8. Quickly move the arms and legs.

9. Use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

10. Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Tasks

Note: The following is a list of sample tasks typically performed by Carpenter Helpers. Employees in this occupation will not necessarily perform all of the tasks listed.

1. Clean work areas, machines, and equipment, to maintain a clean and safe jobsite.

2. Cover surfaces with laminated plastic covering material.

3. Cut timbers, lumber and/or paneling to specified dimensions, and drill holes in timbers or lumber.

4. Hold plumb bobs, sighting rods, and other equipment, to aid in establishing reference points and lines.

5. Position and hold timbers, lumber, and paneling in place for fastening or cutting.

6. Select tools, equipment, and materials from storage and transport items to work site.

7. Align, straighten, plumb and square forms for installation.

8. Cut and install insulating or sound-absorbing material.

9. Cut tile or linoleum to fit, and spread adhesives on flooring to install tile or linoleum.

10. Erect scaffolding, shoring, and braces.

INTERESTED?

Like people, occupations have traits or characteristics. These characteristics give important clues about the nature of the work and work environment, and give you an opportunity to match your own personal interests to a specific occupation. When you choose a job in an occupation that matches your own interests you have taken an important step in planning a successful and rewarding career.

The carpenter helper occupation has the following characteristics:

Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

LICENSURE, REGISTRATION, OR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Generally licensure and certification are not required for Carpenter Helper positions in state government.

EDUCATIONAL, TRAINING, AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

The Department of Labor provides the following information:

Skilled trades occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. Carpenter Helpers usually complete an instructional program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to form, shape, bend and fold extruded metals, including the creation of new products, using hand tools and machines such as cornice brakes, forming rolls, and squaring shears.

Sources of educational, training, and learning opportunities include:

1. US Military Service

2. On-the-job Training

3. One of the Commonwealth's technical high schools. (Check with your local school district for technical high school information.)

4. Virginia Community College System

5. Talk to a supervisor or supervisor whom you believe “has it all together”.

6. Commonwealth Technical Centers that offer an instructional program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in both sheet metal fabrication and installation.

7. Skilled trades organizations.

Apprenticeship generally is considered to be the best way to learn this trade. In Virginia, apprenticeship programs are administered by the Apprenticeship Division of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI). Apprenticeship programs usually consist of 4 or 5 years of on-the-job training and a minimum of 144 hours per year of classroom instruction. Apprenticeship programs provide comprehensive instruction in both sheet metal fabrication and installation. Detailed information on Apprenticeship programs for carpenters is available on the DOLI web site at http://www.doli.state.va.us

Many employers, including the Commonwealth, expect trades professionals to gain knowledge, skills, and abilities in more than one area. Multi-skilled workers can add value to the organization and often find that a variety of work assignments can be rewarding.

COMMONWEALTH COMPETENCIES

Competencies are a set of identified behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that directly and positively impact the success of employees and the organization. Competencies can be observed and measured. When consistently demonstrated, competencies make employees particularly effective in their work. Competencies help lay out a road map to career success. You can use the Commonwealth Competencies to help improve your individual performance by adopting behaviors that make high performing employees successful in their jobs. In this way, you can use the Commonwealth Competencies for your further professional development.

The Commonwealth Competencies are:

1. Technical and Functional Expertise

2. Understanding the Business

3. Achieving Results

4. Serving the Customer

5. Teamwork

6. Interpersonal and Communication Skills

7. Leadership and Personal Effectiveness

The above competencies may be applied to employees throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. They can be rank-ordered by agencies and hiring managers to represent the needs of a specific job. The rank ordering will change depending upon the occupation, an organization's priorities, the actual job requirements, and the supervisor's preferences.

Career success is both about what you do (applying your technical knowledge, skills, and ability) and how you do it (the consistent behaviors you demonstrate and choose to use) while interacting and communicating with others. Hopefully, by studying the Commonwealth competencies, identifying your developmental opportunities, and working to refine your own competence, you can take charge of your career!

For additional information about the Commonwealth Competencies go to: http://jobs.virginia.gov/cd_main.html. For the competencies, we first list the competencies and then define each. Finally, we list competency indicators; to describe what successful performance looks like.

COMMONWEALTH CAREER PATH

Career opportunities in the Commonwealth are not limited to moving “up” to the next highest role and pay band, changing positions, or to becoming a supervisor. That's because most roles describe a broad group of occupationally related positions that perform a range of work that requires increased knowledge and skills. For that reason, Commonwealth roles describe the career paths within the same or higher-level role for the same or different Career Group. The broad salary range and the Commonwealth's pay practices provide flexibility in recognizing career development and advancement. (Salary Structure)

For example: Carpenter Helper

Pay Band	Role	Pay Band	Role
2	Trades Technician II	5	Trades Manager I
3	Trades Technician III	6	Trades Manager II
4	Trades Technician IV

Sample Career Path

Trades Tech II

The Trades Technician II role provides career tracks for carpenter helpers acting as assistants to carpenters performing entry to journey level trades work.

Trades Tech III

The Trades Technician III role provides career tracks for carpenters whose work ranges from journey level technician to lead. Some employees may supervise a small crew/staff.

Trades Tech IV

The Trades Technician IV role provides career tracks for carpenters whose responsibilities range from the expert carpenter to first line supervisors of trades technicians in one or more specialty areas. The expert carpenter provides guidance to other technicians or works on a "multi-trade" team requiring specialized skills and knowledge in several trades areas.

Trades Manager I

The Trades Manager I role provides career tracks for managers who responsibilities range from assisting in the planning and direction of a buildings and grounds program to managing a comprehensive building and grounds program for facilities such as a training center, rehabilitation center, or hospital. Areas managed may include a power plant, buildings and mechanical maintenance, ground maintenance, housekeeping and related services.

Trades Manager II

The Trades Manager II role provides career tracks for managers who plan and direct a buildings and grounds program at a state agency or institution having multiple facilities characterized by a large total resident and staff population engaged in highly diversified and decentralized activities.