During the course you will start building stud walls on the first morning and progress through door fitting, flooring, boxing-in, cabinet-style builds and repair work — the practical skills that translate directly to real jobs away from the centre.
If you are still deciding which route is right for you, you can compare all of our available options on our
carpentry courses page.
I would recommend this course to others, covers all key elements of basic carpentry and with plenty of time to practice each element you can walk away knowing how to do it effectively. What I like about the college is it’s a good set-up, good amount of space for the carpentry work, could do wok without disruption from others. I have really enjoyed the course, it has given me more confidence to be able to set myself up self-employed. Knowledge and skills of the instructor was brilliant.
Carls knowledge from working in the industry over many years ensures that what we are learning in “real world” challenges, rather than theory applied in a classroom environment. As someone who learns from doing rather than reading / theory the amount of benefit I got from the course was maximised. I would recommend this course to others; practical hands-on learning, understanding how to deal with real world challenges I might meet “out in the field”. Keep up the great work!
All parts of the course were useful and interesting to me. I would recommend this course to others; the course is detailed and in depth for someone wanting to gain carpentry skills for personal DIY purposes or as a business or job. What I like about the college is the fact the various course training are far apart from each other not letting their training disrupt our lessons.
I would recommend this course to others as there is a vast spectrum of areas that you are taught about. It is very comprehensive. More than satisfied with what I have received and couldn’t ask or expect anymore. Thank you.
I would recommend this course to others as a lot is learned over a short period of time and can be used by anyone with a property or wanting to move into this field of work. Lots of tips and trades provided by instructor were most appreciated. Thanks for all support and encouragement.
On this 9 day carpentry course you will learn the practical skills and job methods needed to complete a wide range of interior carpentry tasks. The focus is on accurate setting-out, clean fitting and confident problem-solving, including situations you will face on real jobs such as bowed door frames in older properties.
You attend the same practical course whether you choose no certificate, the AIM Qualifications unit certificate, or the City & Guilds Level 1 Award.
The aim is simple: by the end of the course you will have a stronger skill base, more practice time, and more confidence to complete carpentry work away from the centre.
This course is highly practical and task-driven. You will complete multiple carpentry projects using fresh materials in your own workspace so you can practice properly, build repetition and develop confidence — not just “have a go”.
You will start with core first-fix work and progress into second-fix fitting and real-world problem scenarios, similar to what you will face on site or in domestic properties.
You will complete multiple installations and tasks during the course, giving you the repetition and confidence needed to carry out carpentry work independently after training.
Support after the course: You can contact your tutor by phone, email or WhatsApp, or visit the training centre for guidance when completing carpentry work away from the centre. Support is included and there is no additional cost.
Yes.
On completion of the course, you will receive an attendance certificate confirming the practical training and skills you have completed.
You also have the option to gain an accredited certificate or qualification, including:
You attend the same 9 day practical course regardless of which option you choose. You do not need to decide in advance — you can choose the best route for you during the course.
We are happy to advise on the best option depending on whether your goal is practical skills, evidence of training, or a recognised qualification.
Practical, real-world carpentry training: delivered by an experienced carpenter with over 30 years in the trade — so you learn methods used on real jobs, not classroom theory.
One course, flexible outcome: you attend the same 9 day practical carpentry course, then choose how you complete it:
You don’t need to decide in advance — you can choose the best option for you during the course.
Deposits & payment: A £150 deposit secures your place. The remaining balance is due four weeks before your course start date. Payment can be made by card, bank transfer or PayPal.
Course start dates (places available):
This course is taught by Carl who is a highly experienced carpenter/joiner who is still active in the trade.
You’ll be shown practical job methods, time-saving tips and how to handle real-world problems — including door fitting in older properties.
Questions are encouraged throughout the course so you understand the “why” as well as the “how”.
We ask all learners to complete a feedback form at the end of their course, and the results are published transparently along with written comments from previous students.
Recent carpentry learners regularly highlight:
“I really enjoyed the scribing and door hanging. Great environment, fantastic instructor. It’s a friendly place that caters for people who have never touched a hand tool before.”
S Gibson, 9 Day Carpentry Course
“Carl is an excellent teacher whose knowledge and experience of real world scenarios puts what you are learning into context. I feel confident that the skills from this course will help me launch a new career.”
C Waugh, 9 Day Carpentry Course
“Excellent course. High quality, hands on learning. Time was focused on doing, not being lectured. The variety of tasks and tools used was the most helpful.”
C Kettler, 9 Day Carpentry Course
“Lots of skills learnt in a short period of time. My carpentry skills were nil prior to the course and I’ve gained confidence to start using them.”
M Randles, 9 Day Carpentry Course
You can view more feedback from previous students here:
Student Feedback
All completed feedback forms are also kept at our training centre and can be viewed during a visit.
No. This course is designed for beginners and career changers. You just need a willingness to learn and get hands-on.
The 9-day course gives you significantly more practical time and covers a wider range of real-world work. In addition to stud walls, door hanging, skirting and architrave, you will also complete window openings in studwork, laminate flooring, pipe boxing, cabinet work, sash locks using a morticer jig, repair work, and working with bowed door frames (common in older properties).
Many learners use this course as a starting point for paid work, beginning with smaller interior jobs and building experience from there. We also cover pricing, job planning and customer handling, and you receive ongoing support after the course to help you progress confidently.
No. All tools and materials are provided. You will work with a wide range of professional tools during the course.
Yes. You are welcome to arrange a visit to see a course in action and view the standard of learner work. We encourage visits while courses are running.
No. You attend the same 9 day course regardless. You can decide during the course whether to complete it with no certificate, the AIM Qualifications unit certificate (+£100), or the City & Guilds Level 1 Award (+£250).
The AIM option is a Level 3 unit certificate and is often chosen by learners who want accredited evidence of training. The City & Guilds option is a full Level 1 Award and is more widely recognised, often chosen by learners who want a formal qualification for progression.
You complete the same practical course, but with additional assessments during the course and some home study. There is no need to attend a separate assessment course.
Yes. You can contact your tutor by phone, email or WhatsApp, or visit the training centre for guidance when completing carpentry work after the course. Support is included at no extra cost.
Our success stories highlight the remarkable journeys of our learners — from enrolling in our courses to achieving tangible, real-world outcomes. Whether it’s a career change, skill development, or personal growth, their achievements inspire us all.
Success Stories
We value every voice. The feedback we receive helps us grow, improve, and continue delivering the best possible experience. Here’s what our learners have to say about their journey with us.
Feedback
Choosing the right training centre is key to reaching your goals. At Construction Skills College, we provide expert instructors, practical hands-on training, and tailored support to boost your success. When you compare our course content with others, you’ll see we cover more in the same or less time. We achieve this by minimizing classroom sessions and focusing on real-world practical work—not small, low-value projects that don’t prepare you for actual job sites.
Choosing A Training CentreNo prior experience is required for our 5, 9, or 10-day training courses, as they are specifically designed for individuals with little to no previous experience.
For NVQ assessments, you must be actively working in the trade, as assessments are conducted in the workplace.
There a couple of training centres who offer similar courses and qualifications which are cheaper than ours, but compare what is covered during the course. You will find these centres teach you what you need to pass an assessment rather than also teach you the skills needed to complete work in the real world. If unsure please contact us and we can discuss the course content of both centres and advice what is best for your future aims.
There are also some training centres offering courses which are longer in duration than ours and cost more than ours, but they don’t actually cover more than we do. They spend more time talking than doing.
We have designed our courses to be intensive and comprehensive with what is covered. We appreciate time is precious and so ensure we fit as much as we can into each course and give you after course support as well.
The courses are fairly priced, taking into account the amount of materials used on the courses and the high level of teaching by experienced trades people.
You are investing time and money to learn and develop your skill set and we are here to help you succeed. We have been helping people change careers and complete projects on their own properties for over 20 years.
Yes, you’re welcome to arrange a visit to our training centre whilst a course is running. If possible, visiting near the end of a course is ideal, as you’ll see the quality of work produced by people on the course. Whilst at the centre we can explain what is completed during the course and answer any questions you may have.
After completing your course you could progress into employment or self-employment. A number of our learners are now working for a company completing work related to trades they studies at our training centre.
Many more have progressed into self-employment, either in a trade specific role such as a plasterer or a plumber, or combining their skills to become a bathroom installer, a kitchen installer, property developer or working in property maintenance.
Others have progressed into further education to gain gas-safe qualifications, further electrical qualifications and NVQs.
Please feel free to contact us to discuss your aims after completing your course.
Support provided when choosing a course
We will provide you with as much information, advice and guidance as we possibly can and if we are not able to offer you the course that best suits your needs or give you the information you require we will signpost you to somewhere that is able to. We do not pressure you to book onto any course and if we feel that you would be better suited to a course we do not offer then we will give you the contact information of a college that does.
Hopefully the majority of the information you require is available on this website but if you have any questions at all then please contact us and we will help in any way we can.
We would like to invite you to attend the training centre to view the facilities and discuss the course with both the tutors and current learners. We suggest if possible that you visit our centre towards the end of a course as people in general are always happy at the beginning of training and you want to make sure that they are as happy at the end of the course. When you visit you will be free to discuss the course with current learners on a 1-to-1 basis, if someone has paid good money or used limited funding to attend a course and they are not happy they will definitely tell you. If you visit towards the end of a course you will also be able to see the standard that everyone on the course has achieved.
One of the most popular comments we receive on questionnaires is that people did not expect to reach the high standard that they do on a course, it is also one of the most popular negative comments that we receive by people who are not aware of what we offer as they will say ‘you won’t be any good after 10 days’, if you yourself are unsure then why not pop down for a pressure free look around.
During Training
During your time with us every member of staff will do their best to help you achieve your aims. You will be provided with supporting literature relating to your trade and have access to further reading to research the trade further in your own time.
If you struggle on any element of the course then we will provide additional training at no extra cost to ensure that you reach the required standard.
If you have any learning difficulties or disabilities or have any physical difficulties or disabilities then we will support you throughout and this additional support will remain between the centre and the individual. The majority of the training courses are practical based but if you do have any concerns then please contact the centre.
We will also provide you with additional information, advice and guidance relating to progression routes available after completing the course including further training, finding employment and starting to work for yourself. Whilst on a course please contact a member of staff if you require any further in information. Whilst you are at the centre there may be other courses running so if you have any questions relating to another trade please feel free to speak to the relevant tutor – they are all here to help you.
After Training
We will continue supporting you after you have completed a course with us and you can contact us either by email, phone, WhatsApp or in person to discuss any aspects that you covered on your course. For example you may wish to contact us to clarify how to complete a job or how to price a job or maybe to ask for information on writing a business plan.
Your tutors will give you their contact telephone numbers and email address so if you have any questions at all you can give them a call. It is invaluable to have this continuous support available and will give you the confidence to complete work away from the centre.
If you have access to ELC funding, we are an approved ELC learning provider.
Funding is currently available for our 6-week plastering course—please contact us for details.
Unfortunately, we do not offer funding for our other courses at this time.
Absolutely, our courses are hands-on and focused on equipping you with the practical skills needed to perform jobs independently outside our training centre. While there is some theory included, it’s kept minimal and directly relevant to the trade you’re learning—not theory for its own sake. The only entirely theory-based course is the Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment, which is an online course completed at your own pace.
We have one training centre located in Stoke-on-Trent. We are not affiliated with any other training centres in the UK.
We are honestly worth travelling too. Nearby there are hotels, B&Bs, Airbnb, campsites, etc. You can stay from £125 a week.
You can enrol by contacting us directly at 01782 837007, emailing us at enquiries@tradeteacher.co.uk, or using the “Book Now” option on our website.
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