Carpentry Career - Benefits As A Member of the Union

Being a carpenter involves a lot of backbreaking work. Is it worth pursuing? It depends who you ask but those who have been doing it for years are satisfied with the benefits they get choosing a carpentry career. 

One thing that most people would like to know is how much do you earn as a carpenter. Depending on your experience and where you are working, the annual salary range is from a little less than $18,000 to just a little over $49,000. 

Since most carpenters are part of a union, you can expect to be covered with insurance, medical, dental, vision, medicine, disability and pension benefits. This means that the longer you stay, the more you get. 

You become part of the union the moment you sign up as an apprentice. This will allow you to train in various centers in the US and Canada so your skills are updated with any developments in the construction industry.

What is even better is that you don’t have pay for it because this is shouldered by the union. Of course this is not entirely true because they are just returning what is due to you when a certain percentage of your salary is given to them in the form of union dues. 

Further training can also be acquired given that the union has partnerships with contractors, government agencies, industry users and suppliers. 

Since you have the opportunity to study in both, get the one that offers classroom instruction and not just on the job training because it is nice to learn theories first before applying it which makes you a better candidate to land a high paying job. 

One other benefit of being part of the union is the ability to find work. They can call up some people they know so you will be able to put food on the table however this should not stop you from looking for employment on your own by looking at newspaper ads, online or calling your former employer.  

Wherever you work, pay is commensurate with experience. In carpentry, this could mean leaving carpentry and then moving up to a managerial position within the company. If you are ready to go into business, you can leave your employer and start up your own firm. Instead of doing the back breaking work, you will have people doing that for you so make sure that your employees are able to satisfy the demands of the customer. 

The benefits you get in a carpentry career are many and the one you will probably thank who is looking out for you is the union. But if you want to become more successful than others, you have to show that in your performance everyday on the job so people will take notice and praise you for hard work and dedication. 

To know more about what other benefits you get when you decide to become a carpenter, you should take this up with your union representative. There are some variations from state to state which is something you have to live with. 

If you don’t want to be part of the union, think again because there are more benefits as a member compared to a non-member for people who want to pursue a carpentry career.