Wood Machinist

Typical Salary

£16,000 To £28,000

Typical Hours

41 to 43 a week

evenings / weekends on shifts

How To Become a Wood Machinist

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

You can take a college course that would teach you some of the skills needed. Relevant courses include:

Level 1 Certificate in Basic Construction Skills
Level 1 Diploma In Carpentry and Joinery
Level 2 Diploma in Wood Machining

2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apprenticeship

You could do a wood product manufacturing operative intermediate apprenticeship, or an advanced apprenticeship in wood machining.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You could start as a labourer in construction, or an assistant with a wood products or furniture manufacturing company. You could then specialise in machining work after doing on-the-job training.

You could apply directly to work as a wood machinist. You'll need experience of working with timber.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
persistence and determination
the ability to work on your own
physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
the ability to work well with your hands
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

planning jobs following detailed technical drawings
selecting the right type of wood for a particular product
working out the amount of timber needed
cutting and shaping timber, using tools like saws, planes and routers
cleaning workshop tools and servicing equipment
using computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment
using computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) methods

Working Environment

You could work in a workshop or at a sawmill.

Your working environment may be dusty, physically demanding and noisy.

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can get more details about how to become a wood machinist from Go Construct.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.