Hey all,
I’m looking at starting a carpentry apprenticeship in QLD (Gold Coast/Brisbane area) and trying to get a realistic idea of hours and income.
From what I understand, the standard is 38 hours/week under the award, but I keep hearing that actual hours can vary a lot depending on the type of work and employer.
A couple questions I’d really appreciate insight on:
Do residential carpentry apprentices (new builds / volume builders) typically get paid overtime, or is it mostly just 38-hour weeks?
Is overtime common in residential at all, or pretty limited compared to other areas?
Which type of carpentry tends to have the most overtime (e.g. framing crews, renovations, formwork, commercial, etc.)?
Does overtime usually get offered to apprentices, or mainly qualified guys?
Also trying to understand:
Whether it’s better to start with a framing crew vs a renovation company if income early on is a priority
How much weekly hours realistically fluctuate (e.g. quiet weeks vs busy periods)
Not expecting exact numbers, just trying to get a general feel from people in the industry.
Appreciate any advice or experiences 👍