About
Ask yourself...
- Would you like working with wood, styrofoam and concrete?
- Can you be precise and accurate in your work?
- Do you like working outdoors?
Then Cribber could be the career for you!
Cribbers work with wood, styrofoam and concrete to build and assemble the foundations for single-family and multi-family homes, and commercial buildings.
They are employed by construction companies, carpentry contractors and factory maintenance departments, or they may be self-employed.
Duties
As a Cribber, your duties may include the following:
- Selecting, measuring and marking materials to build foundations
- Cutting and shaping materials and joining them with nails, screws, bolts or glue
- Developing work plans
- Reading and interpreting blueprints
Work Conditions
The standard work week for cribbers is 40-hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next.
Most cribbers work outdoors on residential construction sites, often in collaboration with other carpenters and construction professionals. The work is physically demanding – you may have to lift heavy materials and remain kneeling or crouched for long periods of time.
As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Cribbers are trained to work safely and wear personal protective equipment such as hard hats, gloves and steel-toed boots.
Training and Certification
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Cribber, called a journeyperson.
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 50 per cent of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.
Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for cribber apprenticeship programs vary across Canada, but you are usually required to complete secondary school. You may find it helpful to enroll in math, shop, industrial arts and mechanical drawing courses in high school.
Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as a Cribber.
For more information, check out the apprenticeship section.
Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for cribbers vary across Canada, but generally involve at least one 12-month period, including both on-the-job training and in-class technical training.
Related work experience or completion of a carpentry program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.
Certification
Certification is available but voluntary in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Where certification is not available, it may be possible to study as an apprentice through your local labour organization. Check out our Related links to find out who to contact. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended as it tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional and helps you get jobs.
To be certified as a Cribber, you usually need to complete an apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical training and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.
You may be eligible for certification if you have on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in cribbing.
To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technology developments by reading and speaking with other cribbers.
Courses
Wage
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| Échelle médiane $54 080 |  | Plus élevé $79 290 |
L’« échelle médiane » est basée sur le salaire « médian » national indiqué sur le site Guichet-Emplois pour le profil de carrière associé au code de Classification nationale des professions (CNP) : 7271, 7611
Remarque : Certains profils de carrières peuvent être associés à plus d’un code CNP.