This occupation is found in the furniture, furnishings and interiors manufacturing industry. The UK furniture, bed and furnishings manufacturing industry has seen substantial growth over recent years and makes a significant contribution to the country’s GDP. There are over a quarter of a million people in jobs relating to the industry, with 118,000 in manufacturing alone. As well as manufacturing furniture for residential accommodation, there is also a large market for office and commercial furniture.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to produce and assemble bespoke pieces of furniture to meet individual customers’ requirements. This can cover pieces such as tables, chairs, cabinets, office furniture, kitchens and bedrooms. Bespoke Furniture Makers work with and need to understand a variety of materials – including wood, metals, glass, plastics, fabric, finishes and other relevant materials.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of colleagues including designers, production/manufacturing managers, quality technicians, production leaders and product developers. They will need to work closely with designers and installation teams. Bespoke Furniture Makers will work alone or within small teams with other makers and will be responsible for liaising with colleagues and suppliers and in some roles with customers. They tend to work in small craft workshops but can also work in larger factories. The usually report to a senior colleague such as the managing director.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for interpreting and challenging designs and offering solutions, selecting appropriate materials, making the components and assembling pieces of furniture using machinery and hand production techniques. Bespoke Furniture Makers also produce prototypes to bring designs to life, they will produce complex jigs and templates. They attend design meetings to contribute to designs regarding feasibility and costs.
Bespoke Furniture Makers will also need to coach and mentor apprentices, trainees and other colleagues. Summary of Standard https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/bespoke-furniture-maker/ Full Standard https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/media/3640/st0639_bespoke_furniture_maker_l3_ap_for_publication_04102019.pdf
