Trainee Joiner

Overview

Become a highly skilled Carpenter and Joiner in the Royal Engineers, supporting a wide range of construction projects at home and abroad. You will learn to work from drawings, plan tasks, use workshop machinery and scaffolding, and prepare timber for use. This role provides opportunities for valuable experience, travel, and a strong foundation for future career prospects.

• Plan carpentry and joinery tasks from sketches and working drawings.
• Use and maintain workshop machinery.
• Prepare timber, manufacture joints, use adhesives, produce windows, door frames, door linings and internal joinery fitments.
• Carry out general construction work: first‑fix timber frames, second‑fix internal joinery fitments.
• Install partitions, floors, roofing, timber‑framed buildings, formwork and shoring.
• Construct scaffolding, interpret scaffold terms, erect access scaffold and install access ladders.

• Age between 16 and 36: must be between 15 years & 7 months and 35 years & 6 months at the time of application.
• GCSEs (or Scottish National equivalents) Grade A–D/9‑3 in Maths, English Language and one other subject.
• Physically fit and able to pass military fitness tests.
• Valid UK driving licence or willingness to obtain one.

£27,282 a year from the start of training, increasing with progression.

• Application to training: 3–6 months (varies by circumstance).
• Initial training: 35–40 weeks.
• Progressive career development based on performance and experience.

After training, you will have evenings and weekends to use as you wish, often engaging in sports, travel, or additional training.