Cabinetmaker - Training & Careers

If you enjoy working with your hands and want a job that gives you both great satisfaction and numerous challenges, you might consider becoming a cabinet maker.

It’s a profession that doesn’t receive a lot of attention because of the quick fix, slapdash home building industry that has come to predominate. However, there are enough clients out there who appreciate good work and will pay handsomely for custom-designed kitchens and cabinets. That’s where you come in.

What training do you need to Become a Cabinet Maker?

While it is true that most woodworking professions require little or no academic training, if you want to become successful, you should probably go to school first. Making the cabinets, after all, is only half of the actual business.

You also need to market your skills, sell your wares, invoice clients, maintain inventory, and meet state and federal regulations if your project requires major alterations. For this reason, a successful cabinet maker must also be a savvy businessperson. Do you already have these skills? If not, go to vocational school or get a bachelors degree in woodworking. You’ll thank yourself later.

Job Prospects for Cabinetmakers

Although exact figures differ depending on region and project, the U.S. Department of Labor says that the overall cabinetmaking industry will grow more slowly than the national average over the next eight years. This is partially due to a dwindling appreciation for genuine handmade crafts.

However, if you are skilled and possess the right amount of entrepreneurial expertise, there is really no limit to how far you can go as a cabinet maker. Invariably, your work will be much nicer than the factory-assembled stuff in most homes. All you need to do is convince homeowners that your cabinets will vastly improve the property value of their house.