Certificate III in Carpentry

Overview

The Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30220) is a trade qualification for carpenters working in residential and commercial construction. Across the program you will learn to set out, manufacture, construct, assemble, install and repair building elements made from timber and non-timber materials — from footings and formwork through to wall frames, roof trusses, pitched roofs, cladding, windows, doors, stairs and interior fit-out.

Delivered face-to-face at our Brisbane and Gold Coast campuses, the course combines structured classroom learning with extensive practical workshop training. Units are sequenced the way a real build unfolds: work health and safety foundations first, then site works and slab, framing, roofing, and finally fit-out and finishing trades, so the skills you develop compound naturally from one stage to the next.

Graduates leave with the practical competence, plan-reading ability and safety knowledge expected of a qualified carpenter, ready to work on Australian construction sites. Carpentry consistently appears among Australia's skills-shortage trades, making this qualification a strong foundation for long-term employment and, with further study, a pathway toward site supervision and building qualifications.

Core Units

• CPCCCA2002Use carpentry tools and equipment
• CPCCCA2011Handle carpentry materials
• CPCCCA3001Carry out general demolition of minor building structures
• CPCCCA3002Carry out setting out
• CPCCCA3003Install flooring systems
• CPCCCA3004Construct and erect wall frames
• CPCCCA3005Construct ceiling frames
• CPCCCA3006Erect roof trusses
• CPCCCA3007Construct pitched roofs
• CPCCCA3008Construct eaves
• CPCCCA3010Install windows and doors
• CPCCCA3016Construct, assemble and install timber external stairs
• CPCCCA3017Install exterior cladding
• CPCCCA3024Install lining, panelling and moulding
• CPCCCA3025Read and interpret plans, specifications and drawings for carpentry work
• CPCCCA3028Erect and dismantle formwork for footings and slabs on ground
• CPCCCM2006Apply basic levelling procedures
• CPCCCM2008Erect and dismantle restricted height scaffolding
• CPCCCM2012Work safely at heights
• CPCCCO2013Carry out concreting to simple forms
• CPCCOM1012Work effectively and sustainably in the construction industry
• CPCCOM1014Conduct workplace communication
• CPCCOM1015Carry out measurements and calculations
• CPCCOM3001Perform construction calculations to determine carpentry material requirements
• CPCCOM3006Carry out levelling operations
• CPCCWHS2001Apply WHS requirements, policies and procedures in the construction industry
• CPCWHS3001Identify construction work hazards and select risk control strategies

Elective Units

• CPCCCA3012Frame and fit wet area fixtures
• CPCCCA3014Construct and install bulkheads
• CPCCCA3027Set up, operate and maintain indirect action powder-actuated power tools
• CPCCCM2002Carry out hand excavation
• CPCCCM3001Operate elevated work platforms up to 11 metres
• CPCCSF2004Place and fix reinforcement materials
• CPCCOM1013Plan and organise work

Entry Requirements

• Be 18 years of age or over at the time of course commencement
• Satisfactory completion of Year 12 or equivalent
• English language proficiency of IELTS 5.5 overall (or recognised equivalent)
• Physical capacity to safely undertake practical construction workshop tasks

Fees

Course fees vary by intake and payment plan. For the current fee schedule, payment options and any applicable material fees, please contact our Admissions team at admin@empower.edu.au or call 1300 000 342. International students should also review the fee and refund information provided in their Letter of Offer.

Career Outcomes

Graduates are prepared for skilled carpentry roles across residential and commercial construction.

Further Study Pathways

Graduates may progress to CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction (offered at Empower International College) as a step toward building supervision and builder registration pathways, or to CPC31920 Certificate III in Joinery to broaden trade skills.