Carpentry & Joinery Apprentice - Level 2
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST OR NATURAL BEAUTY
Saltash (PL12 6TA)
Closes in 12 days (Monday 9 March 2026)
Posted on 24 February 2026
Contents
Summary
As a Carpentry & Joinery apprentice, you'll work at a Specialist Craft Centre, learn bench joinery and specialist repairs for joinery on windows, doors, mouldings & panelling, and fabricate new bespoke joinery. You'll work onsite, repair historic, windows, doors, roofs, staircases & historic gates, and install bespoke joinery.
- Wage
-
£24,785 a year
- Training course
- Carpentry and joinery (level 2)
- Hours
-
Fixed Term, full-time contract (37.5 hrs pw to 01/09/28)
Exact shifts TBC
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
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
Our Specialist Craft Centres have been created to develop a skilled workforce for the National Trust which demonstrates the highest levels of skills, promotes and preserves heritage building crafts, inspires people to take up traditional crafts skills and helps us to repair and conserve our special places, for everyone, for ever. We own and care for one of the largest, most varied and most significant collections of built structures in Europe. The greatest proportion of our 28,500 buildings and structures were constructed pre-1919 and these have high heritage value, with a range of uses – from offices to workshops, mansions to cottages. Our crafts people are an integral part of looking after our assets, using their skills to conserve and maintain our buildings and structures, and being part of creating a lasting legacy.
Based at our traditional Specialist Craft Centre within the grounds of Cotehele, you’ll be part of a team producing specialist joinery for historic places across the Southwest. This workshop plays a key role in caring for some of the region’s most significant heritage buildings, giving you the chance to work in settings rich with history and character.
You’ll also work across a range of National Trust properties in Cornwall. Every building is unique, which means no two jobs are ever the same. You’ll learn something new on every project and develop a wide range of joinery and carpentry techniques to meet the varied challenges that come with conserving centuries old structures.
From crafting diamond shaped window frames and bespoke oak joinery to carrying out sensitive conservation repairs on much loved properties, your work will help protect these remarkable places for generations to come.
Where you'll work
Cotehele Estate Yard
Cotehele Quay
Saltash
PL12 6TA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
EXETER AND NORTH DEVON COLLEGES GROUP
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
Your training will be based at a specialist college and be delivered via a combination of day release and online learning, with all college expenses and travel paid. There will also be opportunities to travel to other National Trust locations with some overnight stays to expand your learning and experience. You will also be able to join other training events and learn from industry colleagues internally and externally.
More training information
You’ll work closely with your Line Manager and Mentors on tasks directly linked to your apprenticeship, often outdoors and in all weathers, as part of a supportive and skilled team. You’ll take responsibility for your learning by preparing for review meetings and keeping your e portfolio up to date with evidence of your progress, including timesheets for off the job training.
You’ll attend college as part of your apprenticeship, with travel expenses covered in line with Trust policy. There may also be occasions when you’ll work away from home, staying in pre booked accommodation, with all associated expenses reimbursed.
You’ll follow the Trust’s ways of working, uphold our Values and Behaviours, complete mandatory training and e learning, and prepare for your End Point Assessment.
This apprentice position is funded by a generous grant from the Vinehill Trust
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade E/2)
- Maths (grade E/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
- Team working
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- A minimum of 2 GCSEs including English and maths at grade E/2, Functional Skills Level 1 or equivalent (If you hold an EHCP, Entry Level 3 in English and maths is acceptable.)
- Aged 16 or over and have completed Year 11
- Not in full‑time education
- Have the right to work in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the past three consecutive years
- Not currently on any other training or education programme (e.g. another apprenticeship or a degree)
- Able to travel to the work location
About this employer
We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. We look after hundreds of houses and close to a million objects, along with vast areas of coastline, countryside and green spaces, for everyone’s benefit. With our staff, members, volunteers and supporters, we’re the biggest conservation charity in Europe. Everyone can get involved, everyone can make a difference.
After this apprenticeship
This role will lead to level 3 Craft Carpentry & Joinery apprenticeship followed by a 12 months’ work placement.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
EXETER AND NORTH DEVON COLLEGES GROUP
apprenticeships@nationaltrust.org.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017255.
Apply now
Closes in 12 days (Monday 9 March 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.