How to become a Helpers--Carpenter

Official title: Helpers--Carpenters

Also called: Carpenter Apprentice, Carpenter Assistant, Carpenter Helper

Help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Main tasks

• Erect scaffolding, shoring, or braces.
• Clean work areas, machines, or equipment, to maintain a clean and safe job site.
• Align, straighten, plumb, or square forms for installation.
• Select tools, equipment, or materials from storage and transport items to work site.
• Fasten timbers or lumber with glue, screws, pegs, or nails and install hardware.
• Position and hold timbers, lumber, or paneling in place for fastening or cutting.
• Cut timbers, lumber, or paneling to specified dimensions.
• Hold plumb bobs, sighting rods, or other equipment to aid in establishing reference points and lines.

How to become one

Construction laborers and helpers learn on the job. Although formal education is not typically required, some employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a high school diploma or the equivalent.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $43,780 a year The middle half earn $36,730 to $49,400.
• About 21,900 people work in this job now, and about 21,500 are projected by 2035. (-1.7%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
• Helpers--Electricians
• Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
• Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• Helpers--Roofers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Helpers--Carpenter?

Construction laborers and helpers learn on the job. Although formal education is not typically required, some employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a high school diploma or the equivalent.

How much does a Helpers--Carpenter earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $43,780 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,730 to $49,400.

Is a Helpers--Carpenter a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 21,900 people now and 21,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Helpers--Carpenter?

Usually not. Only 7% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Helpers--Carpenter?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.