This exciting standard has been developed by industry for industry to develop the next generation of furniture manufacturers.
The apprenticeship has been designed to develop core skills, knowledge and behaviours relevant to the industry whilst developing occupational skills and knowledge.
The Fitted Furniture Installer pathway has been recognised for CITB grant funding and the CSCS blue card scheme. Find out more here.
The apprenticeship covers the following occupational pathways:
Furniture Manufacturers are skilled craftsmen/women who make pieces of furniture. They may work in a small, independent shops that produce custom furniture or in a factory that mass-produce pieces of furniture.
Bed Manufacturers work in factory environments where the ability to work to agreed targets in terms of output and quality standards is essential. They specialise in mattress or divan and headboard making.
Modern Upholsterers are skilled and methodical individuals capable of creating ergonomic and comfortable furniture using both traditional and modern techniques, materials and fabrics to produce aesthetically pleasing and fit for purpose consumer products.
Furniture Finishers prepare and treat a wide range of timbers and man-made boards, using a range of techniques. Items to be finished could range from tables, chairs, lounge suites, cabinets, chests of drawers, kitchen units and shop fittings. They may also work on fitted items such as staircases, wall panels and doors, and on musical instruments like pianos.
Fitted Furniture Installers are responsible for preparing and installing furniture including kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and offices, shops, exhibitions and boat interiors. This is onsite at the customer’s commercial or domestic premises.
Furniture restorers are involved in the conservation and restoration of antique and modern furniture by using practical and scientific restoration techniques. To be a furniture restorer, you should have an interest in furniture history, a desire to fix things, practical skills, an eye for detail and good observational and co-ordination skills.
Modern Furniture Service Repairers fix a wide range of problems, including damage to furniture, upholstery, beds, mattresses, mechanisms and fittings. They visit customers’ premises to inspect items, assess requirements and carry out repairs.
Foam Convertor and Cushion Manufacturers produce cushioning products using a wide range of conversion equipment. This includes setting up, operating and maintaining processing and cutting equipment. This equipment can range from small manually operated machines to large automated CNC profiling and shaping equipment.
Furniture Wood Machinists produce components for furniture using a wide range of wood working machinery. This includes setting up, operating and maintaining wood working machines such as saws, planers, moulders, lathes, routers and CNC/NC machines. Wood Machinists will take raw materials and produce components to a given specification to be used in the manufacture of furniture.
Furniture CNC Specialists produce components for furniture using CNC machines. This includes setting up, operating and maintaining CNC machines and saws to cut, plane, shape and sand all types of wood and man-made wood components.