Carpenter

About this programme

Apprenticeship is a great way to develop employable skills while working and earning a paycheck. In fact, apprentices are required to find a job before they go to school. On the job, you’ll typically work under the direction of a journeyperson who provides instruction as you gain experience. Your college study periods are short, usually about two months long, allowing you to build theoretical knowledge and more advanced practical skills. Apprenticeship programs require you to attend college once a year for three or four years including a minimum of 1560 hours of on-the-job training and eight weeks of technical training each year. Carpenters construct, erect and repair buildings and other structures. Our program will teach you all aspects of construction from foundation to finishing through classroom theory and practice in the shop. We will show you how to set up formwork, prepare to pour, build wall and roof frames, construct stairs and build finished projects such as furniture. You will also learn core skills such as reading blueprints; planning your sequence of work; cutting and shaping materials; and checking completed units to ensure they are level and square, and the right size, shape and location. Our class sizes allow us to spend a great deal of individual time with apprentices both in the classroom and in the shop. You can take all four years of your carpenter education at Medicine Hat College. Apprenticeship is post-secondary education that blends hands-on work experience with classroom learning. The Government of Alberta manages Apprenticeship Education Program