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Furniture makers make and restore items like chairs, tables, beds and display cabinets.
You could work: evenings / weekends; on shifts
You'll work mainly with wood but you'll also use metals, plastics and other materials. In your day-to-day tasks could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work in a workshop or in a factory.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course to get some of the skills needed for this job. Courses include:
You may need:
The following intermediate apprenticeships could lead into this role:
You could also complete an advanced apprenticeship like:
If you specialise in coverings, you could take an advanced upholsterer apprenticeship.
You'll usually need:
You could apply for jobs if you have experience or qualifications in furniture or cabinet making, or carpentry. Employers often value skills and experience over qualifications.
You can join The Furniture Makers' Company for professional recognition and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about craft careers from Discover Creative Careers.
With experience, you could become a workshop supervisor or quality control inspector. With further training, you could move into furniture design.
In larger firms, you could work in estimating, retail buying, sales or training.
You could also start your own business and specialise in hand-crafted furniture or restoring antique items.