This occupation is found in the manufacturing sector, producing wood products for the construction and furniture industries. Wood product manufacturing is at the engineering end of woodworking and forms a critical part of the emerging pre-manufactured solutions sector, identified in the Farmer Review as key to the future of construction. It supplies products to the housing, commercial, public and building sectors. Employers range from small to large, with a prevalence in the medium to large end of the market. Specialism in single product type is particularly common in the larger end of the market. The broad purpose of the occupation is to produce high volume, repetitive, engineered products from timber. Presenting a wide and varied specification for both external and interior applications, products such as roofing components, windows, doors, door-sets, staircases and other timber construction items including trussed rafters, spandrel panels, metal web beams, and I-beams. As well as utilising traditional materials, they use engineered and modified timbers to support product design and delivery, for example Accoya and Thermowood. They cut, layout and assemble materials, working to a specification. Depending on the product, they may install fixtures and fittings, apply finishes and add glazing systems. Wood product manufacturing operatives typically work individually but can also form part of a larger production team and will report to the production supervisor/manager. Workplaces can be wide ranging from small workshops to large state of the art manufacturing facilities.
Level 2 – Version 1
Knowledge Test
Workplace Observation
