Job Description
Join Our Team: Workshop Craft Operative (Joiner/Carpenter) opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
We’re excited to welcome a new Workshop Craft Operative (Joiner/Carpenter) to our team. This role offers a chance to make a meaningful impact by helping maintain and enhance our beautiful canal network.
Working Hours & Travel
The role will be based from Bradley Workshop, Bradley Lane, Bilston, WV14 8DW 5 days a week. The working hours of the workshop are 07:30 - 16:00 Monday to Thursday & 07:30 - 12:30 on Fridays.
Role overview
As a Workshop Craft Operative your experienced crafts person skills will help to provide excellence in the visitor experience for the Canal & River Trust through efficiently building/supplying complete lock gate and lock gate parts for the entire network in line with safety requirements and heritage standards. This role is vital to enhancing the reputation of the network, whilst protecting its integrity for decades to come.
To see how our workshops operate:
\t
* Click here ( AND here (
\t
* Further information here ( -teams/engineering/building -lock-gates).
Key responsibilities
\t
* Comply with Canal & River Trust’s Health & Safety policy and defined standards; report incidents, accidents and near misses. Complete point of work risk assessments for non-routine tasks and adjust work methods where appropriate.
\t
* Use carpentry/joinery or fabricator/welder expertise to undertake the manufacture & refurbishment within a timely manner, in accordance with defined standards and agreed programmes. Work outside when required.
\t
* Work within quality assurance protocols, uploading documents digitally where required.
\t
* Operate a variety of machinery, plant, tools, and other equipment in accordance with Canal & River Trust’s safety standards and where appropriate support in-house maintenance.
\t
* Undertake general housekeeping of personal equipment, workshop equipment and workspace ensuring all are maintained to defined standards.
\t
* Timely response to customers’ queries and requirements, including responding to emergencies.
\t
* Ensure all equipment (PPE, plant, materials etc) is appropriate for the task.
\t
* Assist with the measurement of locks and lock gates to identify correct lock gate measurements for manufacture - you will be working alongside an experienced team of specialists to learn this heritage skill.
\t
* Understand and interpret technical drawings to translate into production.
About You
We’re looking for someone with a solid foundation in carpentry or joinery, as these skills will form the core of your work. While you’ll have the opportunity to learn and develop additional skills along the way, confidence in reading technical drawings, accurate measuring, and creating strong, precise joints is essential. You might come from a general building background or a specialist joinery environment—anywhere that careful measuring, cutting, and joining have become second nature to you.
Skills & Qualifications
\t
* Apprenticeship or equivalent qualification (or experience) e.g. City & Guilds Level III, NVQ Level III in Joinery, Carpentry.
\t
* Experience handling plant/equipment in group A e.g. chainsaw, hand power tools, forklift truck.
\t
* Experience of working within relevant discipline e.g. Joinery, Carpentry.
\t
* Experience of reading technical drawings.
\t
* Experience in CNC manufacturing/operations would be advantageous
\t
* Full Valid UK Driving Licence - you will need to be able to respond across the region and get to where the team need you.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a starting salary of £28,154 with opportunities for progression. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.
Learn more: -us/work-for-us/our-benefits