Carpentry

Carpentry I 

This course is the building block for achieving high-level construction industry skills that can result in an exciting and lucrative career. With an emphasis on safety, students are taught to use hand and power tools, cut stock, apply construction mathematics, and interpret blueprints. Students will become proficient in identifying types of residential construction components to form foundations and frame walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, doors, and windows. All students will obtain the required OSHA 10 safety credential. 

Carpentry II 

This course leads to successful transition into postsecondary education for careers in carpentry and related fields, such as construction management, architecture, and others. Students are taught the safe use of hand and power tools common to the industry to complement their OSHA 10 safety credential earned in Carpentry I. Students will become proficient in assembling and installing various types of residential construction components that are current with industry standards, including rigging and job-estimating procedures, forming foundations, framing floors, walls, ceiling, roofs, trusses, roofing materials, stairs, exterior doors and windows, decks, and porches. Successfully passing this course leads to CTE program completion.

Industry Credential:  NCCER Core Curriculum

Teacher: Carl Coles

Class: Carpentry I/II

Years of Experience: 24

Mr. Coles has been teaching Carpentry at the Richmond Technical Center since 2000. With a passion for hard work and fun he strives to create an engaging and challenging environment for all students.

He received his B.S. in Business Administration from Ferrum College and is a licensed Tradesman in the State of Virginia as well as a building contractor for the State of Virginia. He holds an advanced contractor’s  license, is an OSHA instructor, and is a former building inspector for the City of Richmond. 

In addition to teaching, Mr. Coles is involved in the Richmond community. He’s often called up to construct eye-catching signs for the neighborhoods and  likes to say, “Be the best you can be in life”. You even catch him in Dallas wearing his Cowboys gear, and he was part of the 1986 Virginia Tech Football Team which won the Peach Bowl. In his spare time for the past 23 years he's volunteered for Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation.

Mr. Coles is dedicated to preparing students for their future careers. He integrates real-world skills into the curriculum, focusing on safety and tangible skills. He also emphasizes the importance of on the job training with his local connections to business and organizations in order to help his students understand various career paths.