Scope

The term "cabinetmaker" defines a person who is capable of constructing and repairing cabinets, furniture, fixtures and related products for various residential, commercial and industrial uses. Cabinetmakers manufacture furniture and related products whose main components are wood and other composite materials.

A cabinetmaker has the knowledge, skills and abilities to read drawings and specifications; discuss projects with clients; plan work activities and estimate job costs; make layouts and patterns; use various hand tools, power tools, and machines to cut, shape, joint, smooth and assemble cabinets, furniture, joinery and millwork products; apply veneers, inlays and laminates; perform sub-assembly and final assembly of wood products, restore and finish furniture and fixtures and install products at the job site.

Cabinetmakers may be employed in various types of companies such as furniture manufacturing, restoration and construction companies and cabinetmaking contractors or they may also be self-employed.

In recent years, the cabinetmaking industry has been increasingly oriented toward incorporating information technology, such as computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) in its production system.

Observations

The National Occupational Analysis committee identified some significant trends during the analysis of the cabinetmaker occupation. These trends are briefly outlined below.

Although we tend to see fewer occupations requiring skilled labour in the manufacturing sector due to rapid technological development, it appears that cabinetmaking, in general, has essentially retained most of its traditional competency requirements. To a large extent cabinetmaking is still a craft industry. This can be explained in part by the high cost of technological innovations and products which do not lend themselves readily to mass production.

There is also some evidence of modernization in the cabinetmaking industry, especially among some large and medium sized factories. Some firms have successfully implemented modern manufacturing systems incorporating new technologies, such as computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) and computer numerical control (CNC). Present economic conditions have resulted in a tremendous increase in the production of goods for export and have lead to greater investments in technology to increase production. These factors have resulted in an increased demand for new cabinetmakers.

Production is becoming increasingly knowledge-intensive in work environments where technology has been implemented. Consequently, the cabinetmaking occupation has become considerably more specialized in these settings.

As in many other occupations, sound employability skills are becoming increasingly important for cabinetmakers. These essential skills include: learning ability, computation, writing, reading, communication, listening, problem solving, flexibility, adaptability, creative thinking, organizational effectiveness and interpersonal skills.

There is a general concern regarding the decline in the number of apprentices entering the occupation. This problem, while not unique to cabinetmaking, has reached a crisis level in many other apprenticeable trades due to the burst of the baby boom and to the strong emphasis currently being placed on academic learning and completion of higher education. New initiatives are required to attract apprentices to the occupation, especially those from designated groups (young people, women and first nations) who are underrepresented in the industry. In addition, some regions have introduced high school apprenticeship initiative to encourage students to enter the trade.

Safety

Safe working procedures and conditions, accident prevention and the preservation of health are of primary importance to industry in Canada. These responsibilities are shared and require the joint efforts of government, employers and employees. It is imperative that all parties become aware of circumstances that may lead to injury or harm. Safe learning experiences and environments can be created by controlling the variables and behaviours that may contribute to accidents or injury.

It is generally recognized that a safety-conscious attitude and work practices contribute to a healthy, safe and accident-free working environment.

It is imperative to apply and be familiar with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations. As well, it’s essential to determine workplace hazards and take measures to protect oneself, co-workers, the public and the environment.

As safety education is an integral part of training in all jurisdictions, personal safety practices are not recorded in this document. However, the technical safety aspect relating to each task and sub-task are included throughout this analysis.

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