A furniture Maker Does a lot
A furniture maker is a skilled craftsperson who designs, makes and restores items of furniture. This is a practical role that requires skills that have been in use for decades, along with an eye for detail, design and current trends.
How Do You Get Started?
Usually you will begin working as a furniture maker by learning the practical side, creating or restoring furniture to someone else’s designs. Entry level qualifications include:
NCFE Level 1 in Creative Craft using Furniture Craft
City & Guilds Certificate in Furniture Production
NVQ’s in making & installing or Repairing Hand Crafted Furniture
Furniture Making is a role that may be possible to enter through an apprenticeship program, where on-the-job practical training is given alongside studying for a formal qualification.
Starting salaries are around 12,000 per annum.
Useful Skills and Attributes
This sort of role is best carried out by a practical person with good manual dexterity (good with your hands). You will need creativity and problem solving skills if you want to design your own furniture or to progress in this career. This role requires you to think ahead and always have spare items lying around that can be used, for example some metal bonding adhesive that you could of bought from websites like https://www.ct1ltd.com/product-applications/metal-to-metal-adhesive/ is always a handy accessory to have with you. Interpersonal skills are important, both for working as part of a team and for dealing with clients. Maths and Art are useful in being able to create designs and make them a reality.
What Sort of Furniture is Hand Made?
You might think immediately of bespoke furniture made for well-off clients, but there are also many clients who want made-to-measure furniture for offices or other commercial spaces.
Career Progression
A skilled and talented furniture maker can expect to progress in terms of salary whilst working for a firm, and their salary would increase to reflect that. If desired, a maker could choose to work for themselves and set up their own business making and/or restoring furniture. If this is the case, then additional skills are required to handle the business administration, accountancy, sales and marketing.
Furniture Making is a role which offers a practical and creative outlet, the ideal candidate will excel in both these areas. If you aim to design for yourself, additional training may be required but if you have the ability, the sky’s the limit.
