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L2Apprenticeship2397 approved providers
The Level 2 Carpentry And Joinery, and the 7 providers delivering it.
Using timber products to create and install building components.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices follow one of two routes: site carpentry or architectural joinery. Site carpenters learn to install structural and finishing elements, including floor joists, trussed rafter roofs, stud partitions, door frames, staircases, skirting and ironmongery. Architectural joiners learn to set out, mark out and manufacture timber products such as doors, windows and straight staircases in a workshop environment, operating fixed machinery and fitting ironmongery. Both routes cover reading plans and specifications, selecting appropriate fixings, and working safely under supervision.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A site carpenter will spend most of their working week on a building site, measuring, cutting and fixing timber components at various stages of a build, from structural carcassing through to second fix finishing work. An architectural joiner will work in a workshop, operating machinery such as surface planers, bandsaws and crosscut saws, marking out timber accurately from drawings, and assembling joinery products to the required finish. Both will collaborate with other trades and receive direction from a supervisor to keep work on schedule and to specification.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to employment as a site carpenter or architectural joiner. With experience, carpenters often progress to senior site roles, contracts supervision or self-employment as a subcontractor. Architectural joiners can move into workshop management or specialist joinery manufacturing. Employers range from large national housebuilders and construction contractors to small independent joinery firms, local builders and specialist fit-out companies. There is consistent demand across new build housing, commercial construction and heritage refurbishment projects.
7 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Activate Learning
Employer: 4.0
Activate Learning is a UK education group that delivers apprenticeships and vocational training thro...
City College Plymouth
City College Plymouth is a further education college offering a wide range of apprenticeship and voc...
Buckinghamshire College Group
Employer: 4.0
Buckinghamshire College Group is a further education college with campuses in Aylesbury, Amersham an...
Cheshire College – South & West
Employer: 2.0
Cheshire College – South & West offers apprenticeship and further education opportunities across its...
Abingdon and Witney College
Employer: 4.0
Abingdon & Witney College is a further and higher education college in Oxfordshire offering a wide r...
Bath College
Bath College is a further education provider offering a wide range of vocational and technical train...
Brooklands Technical College
Employer: 3.0
Brooklands Technical College is a further and higher education provider offering full-time, part-tim...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into employed roles as Site Carpenters or Architectural Joiners, depending on the pathway taken. A Site Carpenter works on construction and refurbishment projects, carrying out first and second fix work including stud partitions, door frames, staircases and roof structures. An Architectural Joiner works in a workshop setting, manufacturing doors, windows and staircases to specification. Both roles involve working to drawings and quality standards, using hand tools, power tools and, in the joinery pathway, fixed machinery.
Progression paths
After three to five years of experience, Site Carpenters often progress to Senior Carpenter or working Lead roles, taking responsibility for a section of a project or supervising less experienced tradespeople. From there, routes into Site Supervisor or Contracts Manager positions are common, often supported by further qualifications such as a Level 3 apprenticeship or NVQ. Architectural Joiners can progress to Workshop Supervisor or Joinery Estimator roles, or specialise in bespoke or heritage joinery. Both tracks offer a route into self-employment.
Where these roles sit
Site Carpenters are hired across housebuilders, main contractors and specialist subcontractors working on new build residential, commercial fit-out and public sector refurbishment projects. Architectural Joiners are employed by joinery manufacturers, specialist workshop businesses and bespoke furniture makers. Both public and private sector employers hire in this trade, with demand consistent across the UK, particularly in areas of significant residential development.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, the learner works in employment while building the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for their chosen option, either Site Carpenter or Architectural Joiner. Before final assessment, the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has reached the required standard, a point commonly called the gateway. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can competently carry out the work of their option, from first and second fix on site, through to setting out, marking out and manufacturing joinery products in a workshop. Assessment arrangements for many construction standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Gathering evidence of real work throughout the apprenticeship is far more manageable than trying to reconstruct it near the end. Apprentices should keep records of tasks completed, problems resolved and decisions made on the job, whether that is on a building site or in a joinery workshop. Working closely with the employer and training provider to track progress against the standard means there are no surprises at gateway. Good habits around documentation from the start will support a smoother final assessment.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% for this standard specifically; ideally above 75%. Because this apprenticeship splits into two distinct pathways, a good provider will be clear upfront about which option they deliver and how they structure practical training for it. For Site Carpentry, that means genuine on-site experience rather than solely workshop simulation. For Architectural Joinery, look for well-equipped workshop facilities with functioning fixed machinery: bandsaws, surface planers, thicknessers and morticers. High employer satisfaction scores on FATP, combined with learner reviews that mention real-world projects, are a meaningful signal.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot explain how apprentices gain supervised practice on structural carcassing, first and second fix work, or fixed machinery operation relevant to the chosen pathway. Providers running very large cohorts alongside a declining achievement rate deserve scrutiny. Vague answers about where Site Carpentry apprentices actually work on site, or workshop-only delivery for a Site Carpenter pathway, should raise concerns. Providers unable to confirm current CSCS card support or Working at Height compliance within their delivery are also worth querying closely.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which pathway do you deliver, Site Carpentry or Architectural Joinery, and can you show us how the training is structured for that specific route?
- For Site Carpentry: where do apprentices carry out their on-site hours, and what types of first and second fix projects will they work on?
- For Architectural Joinery: what fixed machinery is available in your workshop, and how do you manage supervised machine competency sign-off?
- What is your achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
- How do you handle Working at Height training and ensure apprentices understand the relevant regulations before going on site?
- What employer satisfaction and apprentice satisfaction scores does your FATP profile show, and what do you do when either score drops?
- Can you connect us with employers or completers from a previous cohort on this standard?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for this apprenticeship?
There are no nationally fixed entry requirements, so employers and training providers set their own. Most will expect a basic level of literacy and numeracy, sometimes evidenced by GCSEs at grade 3 or above in English and maths, though equivalent qualifications or prior experience may be accepted. Apprentices must be employed for the duration of the programme. If English or maths are not already at the required level, the apprentice will work towards functional skills alongside their main training.
How long does this apprenticeship take and how is the time split between work and learning?
The typical duration is 24 months, though individual circumstances can affect this. Apprentices work in their employer's business throughout, gaining hands-on experience on site or in the workshop every week. A portion of their time is dedicated to off-the-job learning with a training provider. The exact split is subject to ongoing reform under Skills England, so check the current specification on gov.uk for the figures that apply when you are enrolling.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end?
Before the end-point assessment can take place, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm that the required knowledge and skills have been developed to a sufficient standard. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the current version of the specification on gov.uk for the exact assessment methods that apply. The apprentice will need to demonstrate genuine occupational competence, either as a Site Carpenter or as an Architectural Joiner, depending on the option chosen.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £13,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship funding system to cover training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers use funds from their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy contribute 5% of the training cost, with the government covering the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing; the government funds the full amount.
What does an apprentice in this role actually do day to day?
The day-to-day work depends on the option chosen. A Site Carpenter spends their time on building sites cutting, fitting and installing components such as door frames, skirting boards, stud partitions, floor joists and roof structures. An Architectural Joiner works in a workshop, setting out, marking out and manufacturing products like doors, windows and staircases using fixed machinery, then fitting ironmongery. Both options involve working from plans and specifications, using hand and power tools, and working alongside other trades or workshop colleagues under supervision.
What can an apprentice do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completing this apprenticeship leads to a recognised occupational qualification as either a Site Carpenter or Architectural Joiner. From there, many progress into higher-level roles such as foreperson or site supervisor, or move into a Level 3 apprenticeship in a related construction trade. Some go on to specialise further, for example in heritage joinery or timber frame construction. With experience, routes into self-employment or running a small contracting business are also common in this sector.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 239.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.