Recruitment: Could you be the next Viscount Linley?

Carpentry has always had a certain glamour. Jesus was a carpenter. Viscount Linley is a cabinet-maker – in other words, an upmarket carpenter. And British and American history is dotted with clandestine carpentry brotherhoods.

But over the past decade the carpentry business has faced a rather unlikely rival: the do-it-yourself flat-pack. "It has created a disposable society," says Nick Gutfreund, the winner of last year's City & Guild carpentry Medal of Excellence. "Flat-packs have left people believing that well-made woodwork is not something to be valued. People don't understand why they should pay more than £50 for a table; they can't identify quality craftsmanship."

Change, however, is afoot. At this year's meeting of the National Association of Head Teachers, general secretary Mick Brookes called on more young people to enter practical apprenticeships, saying that, without them, the UK was on track to become "an army of the unemployable". Since then, Learn Direct has reported a 50 per cent increase in the volume of web traffic on its carpentry page, while the Learning Skills Council claims that apprenticeships have jumped by almost 10 per cent in the past year.

Gutfreund isn't surprised; he sees the industry as offering an attractive combination of creativity and autonomy. "Fundamentally, carpentry is thriving again," he says. In contrast with the wider construction industry, carpentry has avoided the corporate model; most carpenters still operate individually or in small companies, doing jobs on a freelance basis.

Gutfreund has found a profitable niche crafting quirky, one-off pieces according, to customers' orders. And there are plenty of options, he says. "There are so many opportunities; a young chippy can expand his skills by himself."

This is what Edward Snook has done. After starting out as a construction worker, he trained in carpentry and joinery at the Isle of Wight College. Like Gutfreund, he emphasises the creative side of the job.

Recently, he started making his own flat-packs for sale. The result is a career marked by variety. "I could be doing a hand-cut roof or putting together a flat-pack," Snook says. "It changes day to day."

But being your own boss offers more than just an opportunity for creativity; the freelance carpenter is making considerable headway in pioneering green technology. "For the freelance tradesman, a significant proportion of the day would be in sourcing materials to do the job," says William Avery, president of the Institute of Carpenters. "This research and development of wood is vital, as wood is both a renewable and a recyclable raw material."

Beyond the world of construction and household furnishings, trainee carpenters can pursue a wide range of specialisations. The Government's apprenticeship scheme offers the chance to focus on marine craftsmanship, prop making and set design. A number of colleges offer these courses, either as part of the National Vocation Qualification (NVQ) or another well-respected diploma, such as the City & Guilds certificate. The Institute of Carpenters offers its own prestigious award to independent applicants.

Outside the classroom, efforts are being made to match educational innovation with the industry's changes. "Increasingly, the key is to have flexibility in training," says Gary Measures, whose Dartford-based training centre Able Skills enables student carpenters to train part-time as well as full-time. "We give the opportunity to do shorter courses with internal assessment and verification, as well as a six-week course to get a City & Guilds certificate." The job is open to those without formal academic qualifications.

Whatever route trainee carpenters take, some credentials are vital. "Increasingly, it is important to have a recognised qualification, such as City & Guilds or NVQ, to gain work," Avery says. "And practical experience is essential."

How to find out more

*To contact a Learn Direct careers adviser, visit www.learndirect-advice.co.uk.

*For information on funded apprenticeships, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk or contact the Learning and Skills council at 0870 900 6800 or via its email address at info@lsc.gov.uk.

*The Institute of Carpenters can be contacted on 020-7256 2700, or call 0115 949 0641 to register for their internal exams.

*To find out where City & Guilds courses are on offer, call 020-7294 2800 or visit http://www.city-and-guilds.co.uk.