Where to study
When choosing training, our tutors have overarching experience having themselves been furniture, design and architecture students, apprentices, and higher education lecturers. Opportunities include;
private courses (such as ours) run by practicing furniture makers and designers
technical colleges offering vocational qualifications
degree courses in furniture design and making (or related subjects like architecture, engineering, product design, interior design, or the arts)
or an apprenticeship
Private courses
The Williams & Cleal Fine Furniture School sits amongst the top ranking and most respected private furniture making schools in the UK. Private courses like ours are taught by practicing designers and furniture makers, with many years experience of working in the bespoke and commercial furniture industry.
At Williams & Cleal, we have refined and developed our syllabus over 15 years to closely reflect the needs of a creative designer maker.
Most, but not all, private courses are uncertificated. As such, courses such as ours are not bound to the syllabus in the same way as certificated courses are. Our content can be flexible and reactive to the ambitions of each student. For example, if you come already proficient with computer aided design knowledge but lacking practical experience, we can weight your learning more towards the practical - or vice versa.
What about qualifications?
Many careers websites focus on the importance of securing a qualification at vocational or degree level as the first step on the career ladder. While this advice isn't wrong and qualifications certainly have their place, particularly for younger students, it should be known that the furniture industry is one where your practical experience and the quality of your portfolio hold importance with employers, and qualifications may not always be necessary.
Vocational qualifications and courses
As well as private vocational courses like ours, further or higher educational establishments also offer vocational qualifications in furniture making. Typically, they run either City and Guilds Furniture Making or Furniture Design and Manufacturing Qualifications ranging from Level 1 through to Level 3 (or higher). OAL (Occupational Awards Limited) are another awarding body that have developed a number of new qualifications in furniture making and these are being offered from levels 1 to 3. NVQ's and BTECS in Furniture may differ between educational establishments and training providers.
Vocational qualifications are usually two thirds practical work with the remainder being theory studies. Unlike private courses, the qualification requires the production of a portfolio of evidence and theory assignments, as well as examinations.
The length of higher education courses can vary between 1 and 3 years, with attendance being typically 1 or 2 days per week. As such, some people prefer the continuity of a private course where attendance is usually 5 days a week. In this respect, private courses can cover as much content in one year as covered by Level 1 to 3 qualifications in three years. If you are between 16 and 18, you may be eligible for free education at a higher education establishment, but fees are likely to be applicable if you are over 19 years of age.
Apprenticeships
There are some really good apprenticeship opportunities out there and it is a great way to learn whilst drawing a small wage; but finding the right apprenticeship can be challenging. By their own admission (in an article published by craftanddesign.net) small independent makers say there is a shortage of apprenticeships because within a commercial workshop it can "take years of practical experience to become a good maker and whilst getting this experience, a trainee is a cost to an employer who has to stop his own work to teach the apprentice".
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To find an apprenticeship, you might research makers whose work you particularly admire and speculatively approach them about possibility of apprenticeship opportunities. The Edward Barnsley Workshop runs a good furniture making apprenticeship focusing on developing good making skills, although they do not teach design. Benchmark also run an award wining apprentice scheme, but like the Barnsley workshop, they offer two placements each year - and competition for places is understandably high.
To find an apprenticeship, you might research makers whose work you particularly admire and speculatively approach them about possibility of apprenticeship opportunities. The Edward Barnsley Workshop runs a good furniture making apprenticeship focusing on developing good making skills, although they do not teach design. Benchmark also run an award wining apprentice scheme, but like the Barnsley workshop, they offer two placements each year - and competition for places is understandably high.
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Competition is stiff, and although places like the workshops mentioned above look for potential and enthusiasm above qualifications and experience, often (but not always) applicants will have completed a furniture course prior to applying for the apprenticeship. Apprentice schemes might also ask to see examples of your work; often looking for evidence that you enjoy making things, well over and above the size and complexity of your project.
What should you look for when choosing a private course in furniture making?
If you are looking to be employed as a maker, it's important to choose a course that facilitates a good proportion of hands on practical learning to develop the quality of your skills and the range of work produced in your portfolio. Courses should include a series of set projects that introduce new skills, techniques and processes - while challenging the accuracy and quality of your developing skills. These projects lead into and run alongside your own design make projects, and on average your course should enable you to make between one and four pieces of your own design prior to completing the course.
Since the skills to draw and conceptualize 3D objects is very important in furniture making, courses should give you a solid grounding in drawing skills and techniques, and nurture knowledge and proficiency in a range of computer aided design software. Alongside the ability to transfer your design ideas into technical drawings, courses should also teach you fundamental design principles and encourage you to build your own design identity.
As well as courses teaching a broad range of woodworking practice in the use of hand tools and machinery, digital, materials, and construction technology. You should also expect an insight into next steps as a designer maker, from portfolio development, CV and interview techniques, business practice and researching potential employers.
Like Williams & Cleal, tutors on private courses will frequently be running their own successful furniture businesses alongside their teaching, which is of further benefit to students who can observe first hand the knowledge and processes involved in running a bespoke furniture business. Additionally, practicing designer makers are likely to have a full range of current contacts and suppliers within the bespoke furniture industry, which students can benefit from.
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The joy and satisfaction gained from a creative life is unquestionable. For our students it can be achieved using a number of routes. Some of our students join us with an ambition to run their own furniture business, making bespoke pieces for clients, or speculative pieces that can be sold through galleries, exhibitions, craft fairs, and online websites. Others choose to work for a commercial workshop, or a furniture manufacturer producing one-offs, batch production or fitted interiors.
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Working with others can also be extremely rewarding. This could include interior designers, architects, product designers, artists, and other trades such as glass, metal workers, upholsterers, and CNC machine operators, to name but a few! Williams & Cleal have experienced first hand all of these scenarios, so are well placed to pass on valuable contacts, advice and above all an insight into all aspects of the furniture industry.
Increasingly we have also found that there are far more opportunities to rent bench space inside a commercial workshop, which can give an excellent start to a new business, without the initial start up costs, and with the potential of developing long lasting contacts and work.
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Following a course with us, as well as our continuing support you will also find further professional and business development support offered by associations such as the Crafts Council and the Furniture Makers Company. Membership to the Young Furniture Makers organisation is free to students and young professionals who have completed their courses within the last three years.
The Furniture Makers Company support the industry by helping those who work or have worked in the sector; and inspire excellence in design and manufacture with Guild Marks Awards For younger makers The Young Furniture Makers host student networking seminars across the UK. Presentation topics in the past have included design, bespoke manufacturing, retail, sales, managing a growing business etc. The diversity of the speakers and topics help give students a broad view of the industry.
The Crafts Council offer a wide range of support and professional development opportunities. Four of our students, Ronan Morrison, Thomas Whittingham, Maria Del Mar Gomez and Charles Byron have been selected for the Crafts Council Crafting Business.
The Crafts Council also run a series of workshops, masterclasses and conferences for creative businesses covering a wide range of topics. finances for craft businesses.
There are also regional business support organisations run by the government in each county of the UK. In the South West, this is www.heartofswgrowthhub.co.uk. Organisations like this run free 1:1 business reviews and advice on how to start, or grow your business. They also run business themed events and workshops.
ONE YEAR FINE FURNITURE DESIGNER MAKER COURSE
Take your skills to the next level
An ideal course to master fine woodworking and furniture design and making techniques. Develop your existing skills for personal use and learn from our expert tutors how to start your own business.