What's involved

A woodworking machinist cuts and prepares timber for builders' merchants, DIY stores and furniture makers, as well as the construction industry. They also maintain the equipment used in the workplace.

They make a range of timber products; for example, floorboards and skirting boards, staircases, door and window frames, kitchen units and cabinets.

As well as hand tools, a woodworking machinist may use computer numerically controlled equipment (CNC) and may also be trained to use computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) methods.

Skills required

You'll need a safety conscious approach to our work and be able to follow detailed instructions, as well as have good levels of concentration and attention to detail.

Good maths skills are really important to make calculations and take measurements and you need to be happy to work on your own as well as part of a team.

Qualifications required

There are no formal requirements although it would help to have Standard Grades in English and Maths

Salary ranges

(This is a guide to the average salary a fully qualified and experienced person might expect to get.)

£15,500 - £22,000

Progression routes

If you decide to progress into supervisory, design or management roles there are opportunities to study for:

• Technical, supervisory and  management SVQ qualifications (SCQF Levels 6 to11)
• HNC Construction or a number of other built environment HNC/HND qualifications (SCQF Levels 7 or 8)
• Degree level qualifications in a number of construction disciplines (SCQF Levels 9 to 12)