Bench Joiner Apprentice
Simon Willis Furniture
Barnard Castle (DL12 9UB)
Closes in 17 days (Sunday 14 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 28 August 2025
Contents
Summary
The employer is looking for an enthusiastic and hardworking person to join the highly experienced and trained Simon Willis team. Simon served his own apprenticeship with the world-renowned Mouseman Furniture, where he learned the traditional techniques and uncompromising standards,
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Employer happy to discuss rate of pay throughout the apprenticeship pending performance and productivity of the apprentice.
- Training course
- Carpentry and joinery (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 6 October 2025
- Duration
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2 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
As a bench joiner you will be trained in the following:
- Reading drawings and making various windows such as arched and slash
- Bespoke doors and frames
- Bespoke staircases
- Bespoke one-off furniture such as tables, chairs chests of draws
- Use of CNC machinery
Where you'll work
Newsham Grange
Greta Bridge
Barnard Castle
DL12 9UB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BISHOP AUCKLAND COLLEGE
Training course
Carpentry and joinery (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Identify and use safety control equipment, for example, RPE, dust suppression, PPE and LEV.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with industry regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Prepare and maintain a safe working area.
- Interpret and use information from drawings and specifications.
- Estimate required materials and produce a cutting list.
- Verbally communicate with others, applying construction terminology.
- Select, use and store hand tools.
- Select, use and store power tools.
- Maintain and sharpen hand tools.
- Produce jigs.
- Identifies well-being support available to self and others.
- Site carpenter: Apply first fix techniques and practices for: 1. structural carcassing (load bearing studwork), 2. straight timber or metal partition walls, 3. floor joists 4. floor joist coverings and 5. straight flights of stairs.
- Site carpenter: Install structural fixings.
- Site carpenter: Size timber from sizing tables.
- Site carpenter: Apply site second fix techniques and practices for: 1. service encasement, 2. cladding 3. wall and floor units and fitments, 4. handrails and spindles to straight flights of stairs, 5. internal and external doors, 6. skirting boards and architrave, 7. window boards.
- Site carpenter: Apply site carpenter techniques and practices to construction of rafter roofs, including trussed (prefabricated) and traditional (built on site) including the construction of verge, eaves and fitting loft access.
- Site carpenter: Use and store laser levels for example cross line laser.
- Site carpenter: Form connections, for example, using joints, nails, screws, bolts and adhesive.
- Site carpenter: Apply measuring, marking out, cutting (square and angled), mitring, hinging and recessing techniques.
- Site carpenter: Carrying out splicing and scribing techniques.
- Architectural joiner: Produce setting out details, including setting rods, and mark out for timber products.
- Architectural joiner: Produce basic woodworking joints including dovetail, bridal, mortise and tenon and halving.
- Architectural joiner: Form connections using dowels, biscuit, staples and adhesives.
- Architectural joiner: Apply techniques and practices to the manufacture and assembly of a timber window with casement including glazing rebates and associated ironmongery.
- Architectural joiner: Apply manufacture and assembly techniques for first fix products: 1. straight staircases, 2. door frames and linings.
- Architectural joiner: Apply manufacture and assembly techniques for second fix products: 1. timber doors, 2. wall and floor units, 3. timber mouldings, 4. staircase spindles and balustrades.
- Architectural joiner: Fit ironmongery including door locks, door handles, door hinges, latches and draw runners.
- Architectural joiner: Inspect, prepare and operate fixed machinery.
- Comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Identify and use safety control equipment, for example, RPE, dust suppression, PPE and LEV.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with industry regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Prepare and maintain a safe working area.
- Interpret and use information from drawings and specifications.
- Estimate required materials and produce a cutting list.
- Verbally communicate with others, applying construction terminology.
- Select, use and store hand tools.
- Select, use and store power tools.
- Maintain and sharpen hand tools.
- Produce jigs.
- Identifies well-being support available to self and others.
Training schedule
Carpentry and Joinery Level 2.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)
- Maths (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
Other requirements
Due to the location of the workshop applicants need to consider how they are going to get there, someone with access to own transport would be an advantage. Not on a bus route.
About this employer
The majority of the work is based around doors and windows however it is craftsmanship without compromise. Every piece is made with care, using solid timber, time-honoured joinery, and an eye for the smallest detail. The company offer a personal, professional service from first measure to final fit. A reputation earned through work we don’t advertise much. Most of our work comes through word of mouth and returning clients.
After this apprenticeship
Progression to level 3 Craft Carpentry and Joinery.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BISHOP AUCKLAND COLLEGE
David Brough
apprenticeships@bacoll.ac.uk
01388 743164
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000339311.
Apply now
Closes in 17 days (Sunday 14 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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