Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology (Apprenticeship)

Want to begin a career in the cabinet making industry?

This apprenticeship will provide you with the ideal starting place to begin your career in this diverse industry. It will give you the skills to work as a qualified cabinet maker and the opportunity to continue study to specialise in the design of kitchen, bathrooms and interior spaces or furniture design and technology.

During this apprenticeship, you will develop hands-on skills and knowledge required to perform a range of tasks at trade-level for working in the cabinet and furniture making industries. This may include manufacture and installation of fitted furniture, typically in a kitchen, bathroom or related context.

During this apprenticeship, you will gain hands-on skills and experience a variety of areas in the cabinet making industry (depending on the elective units you and your employer select). They may include:

• measuring and calculating
• set up, operate and maintain drilling machines, sawing machines and computer numerically controlled sizing machines
• selecting timbers for furniture
• reading and interpreting documents
• installing fitted cabinets and components
• producing angled and curved furniture using solid timber and manufactured board
• estimating and costing a job
• fabricating custom furniture
• producing manual and computer-aided production drawings

Upon successful completion, you will be equipped to gain employment as a qualified cabinet making. You can work in the kitchen and bathroom industries manufacturing and installing cabinetry. 

You may choose to specialise in furniture making to work in the design and manufacture of bespoke and production furniture.

You may choose to continue further study at Certificate IV level specialising in the design of kitchen, bathrooms and interior spaces or furniture design and technology.

Why don’t you come along to our next course info session to find out everything you need to start your learning journey? You can chat with our teachers, tour our facilities, learn more about the course, find out about the application process and get your questions answered by our course experts. 

Find the next info session near you

You need to be employed as an apprentice in the cabinet making industry to be eligible to enrol in this course.

If you are currently not employed in this field please contact the Skills and Jobs Centre for further advice on 1300 648 911.

To be eligible for this qualification, you must successfully complete 25 units: 8 core and 17 electives.

Core Units

This course involves accredited units.  You will be required to complete assessment tasks to demonstrate your underpinning knowledge, skills and attributes to meet the course outcomes.  A combination of written, oral and practical assessment strategies will be used in either a classroom, online or workplace environment. 

Where units require demonstration of skills in a workplace environment, you will have the opportunity to do this either in your own workplace (where appropriate), through a practical placement, or by using one of the Institute's simulated workshops/classrooms.  Detailed information about the types, conduct and dates of assessments will be provided in advance.  You will also be provided with information about the opportunity for reassessment and appeal.

Once you have applied for your chosen course, you will receive a thank you email from South West TAFE with a few steps to help process your enrolment.

Complete a Pre-Training Review
You will receive an email to complete a Pre-Training Review online evaluation. This evaluation helps us tailor your training to suit your needs.

Create or provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
A USI is a nationally recognised reference number that provides an online record of your training qualifications gained in Australia.
Create your USI
Already have a USI but can’t remember it? Find your USI

Skills recognition
If you have experience or prior qualifications, you may be eligible to apply for recognition of prior learning and gain credits. You will be asked to provide any relevant Statement of Attainment to support identified credits.

Here's an outline of fees and costs associated with your course.

Your fees each year can be made up of 3 different elements.  Everyone has different circumstances that can affect what you pay and how much you pay. :

1. Tuition fees - charged as an hourly rate that varies from course to course. A large portion of the tuition is subsidised by the Victorian Government for eligible students.
2. Resource and/or materials costs - covers the cost of materials and other incidentals. This fee will vary according to the course being undertaken.
3. Booklist items - such as textbooks, equipment and stationery recommended for your course

Tuition fees

There are 4 different rates of tuition fees. Only one will apply to you (depending on your eligibility and circumstances). 

1. Government Subsidised Fee - you could be eligible for a government-subsidised rate under the Skills First funding depending on your age, educational history, and citizenship or residency status. If you are eligible, the government will contribute to the cost of your training.
   Find out more about subsidised training
   
   
2. Government Subsidised Concession Fee - If you are eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place and hold a current healthcare or pension card, that you can provide at enrolment, you may be eligible for the concession rate. Note, the concession rate is not applicable to Diploma level courses.
   Find out more about concession rates
   
   
3. If the course is a Free TAFE course or part of the Free TAFE Pathways Program - Eligible students will not pay course tuition fees for the duration of their enrolment in this course, however, there may be some consumable/material fees for the course (find out more below). Any resource or material costs, or booklist items for this course are listed in the table below.
   Find out more about Free TAFE
   Find out more about Free TAFE Pathways Programs
   
   
4. Full fee - If you are not eligible for a Skills First government-subsidised place, exemption, concession or are enrolling in a course that isn't government-subsidised, you may be required to pay the full fee rate.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FEES AND ELIGIBILITY

The fees listed below are indicative only. The course fees published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Course fee funding is made available to eligible individuals by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments. If funding is utilised, this may affect opportunities to access additional funding in the future. An accurate quote for this course will be provided during the enrolment process.

Some courses require specific resources or materials necessary for your study eg: tools of the trade, excursions, etc. Final costs will be determined upon enrolment.

Once we have processed your enrolment form, you will receive an email with your invoice.

You have three options when organising your payment:

1. Upfront payment - can be made over the phone with EFTPOS

2. Payment plan - can be directly debited from your bank account, debited from your Centrelink payments or via a VET Student Loan (for diploma or advanced diploma courses only)

3. Paid by employer, school or job network agency - if your fees are being paid by your employer, school or job network agency, you will need to complete an Authority to Invoice form.

Payments will need to be arranged within five(5) business days of receiving the email containing your invoice.

We also offer a range of scholarships each year which you may be eligible to apply for to assist with course fees.

There are five simple steps to apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship with us.

1. Find a job - find a job as an apprentice or trainee through an Apprenticeship Centre or Group Training Company.
2. Register - register with an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) and nominate SWTAFE as your training provider (your employer will usually do this for you).
3. Complete a pre-training review - SWTAFE staff will contact you to organise your Pre-Training Review once your ASSN contract registration is complete.
4. Enrol - complete the enrolment form provided to you and provide your identification.
5. Sign - once you’ve completed your enrolment form and verified your identification you will receive your student declaration form to review and sign. You can sign this digitally via your smartphone, computer or tablet.

If need any assistance with applying, contact our Customer Service team on 1300 648 911 or visit your nearest campus.

Not sure which course is right for you? South West TAFE will help you find your way.

Our Careers Coaches at the Skills and Jobs Centre is here to support you. Whether you’re exploring career options, transitioning from school to the workforce or looking to study after school we’re here to help you.

As a SWTAFE student, you can access a variety of support services that will enhance your study experience and help you complete your studies successfully. For more information about any of these services, visit our student page.