Furniture: working in the industry

Jobs and Career Progression

Cabinet Maker [573]

What is the work like?

Cabinet making is a broad term that refers to the production of pieces of furniture such as chairs, tables, chests of drawers, desks and cabinets for storage or display.
Cabinet makers make both mass-produced products and individually-designed furniture. They also manufacture the various components needed to produce fitted kitchens, bathrooms or bedrooms, and may also be involved with shopfitting.
Increasingly in the larger companies, furniture making is becoming an automated profession, carried out in large furniture factories where many of the traditional tasks are carried out by computer-controlled machines. As a result, cabinet makers may now spend a lot of their time setting and programming machinery. For some jobs, cabinets makers may design their own pieces of furniture, but in most cases they use an existing pattern or template. They must follow instructions about the quantity to be made and what materials to use. They are likely to work with a range of materials, including hardwood, softwood, glass, metal, plastic, leather and textiles.
However, in the companies that specialise in bespoke work cabinet makers are likely to design and make their own pieces of furniture, to a specification agreed with the customer. The making of the piece of furniture will be undertaken using traditional methods, combined with new technology.
The typical tasks of a cabinet maker are:

prepare drawings from a specifications or determine job requirements by examining drawings and specifications
produce working drawings, jigs, templates or prototypes for production assembly of products using computer technology
Select and prepare timber and manufactured board
Mark out, cut and shape pieces using saws, chisels, planes, power tools and woodworking machines, including computerised machinery
Select correct adhesives for various applications
Trim and glue joints and fir parts together to form sections of furniture
Place sections in clamps, apply pressure and reinforce joints with staples, dowels and screws or nails
Remove sections from clamps and assemble to form completed articles
Finish furniture using a range of techniques
Fit hinges, locks, catches, glass and mirrors, drawers and shelves
Repair damaged furniture and cabinets
Supervise apprentices and assist with on the job training

A trainee will start on £14,500 per year, on average.

Hours and environment

Cabinet makers working for furniture manufacturers usually work 39 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Overtime and shift work is common.
For self-employed cabinet makers, and those working in small craft workshops, hours vary depending on their workload. They may have to work long hours, including weekends, to meet deadlines.
Most of the work takes place in factories or workshops. These are usually well lit with fume and dust extractors, although some can be cramped. Occasionally a furniture maker may work in a client's home or on site, such as when shop fitting or undertaking a kitchen installation. In small companies, furniture makers may also visit suppliers, such as timber yards, or deliver finished items to clients.
Protective clothing such as overalls, masks, gloves and ear protectors are worn when using tools and powered machinery.
A lot of time is spent standing and bending, and some heavy lifting may be involved.
The work may not be suitable for people with dust allergies or breathing difficulties.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and the location of the company.

A trainee will start on £14,500 per annum on average
An employed furniture maker may earn around c£18,000.
With experience, they may earn c£30,000.

Earnings vary for self-employed furniture makers. Some factories may offer bonuses.

Skills and personal qualities

Cabinet makers should:

have the ability to perform manual tasks and be safety-conscious
capable of understanding written instructions
have the ability to work to a high level of accuracy
have the ability to carry out basic mathematical calculations
have good communication skills
understand designs, technical drawings and written instructions
be able to work without supervision and as part of a team
be good at dealing with customers
be able to work with computers
have good business skills, if self-employed.
have some artistic ability, with an interest in fashion and style

Interests

It helps to be interested in:

furniture design and history
how items are made
fashion and style.

Getting in

There are around 20,430 businesses involved in manufacturing furniture, employing around 150,640 people. They are spread across the whole of the UK with predominant clusters in London, the South East and North West.
The vast majority of these businesses are small to medium sized, generally employing ten people or less. However, a handful of large manufacturers still employ about 40 per cent of the total workforce. Many furniture makers are self-employed.
There is currently a demand for trained furniture makers because of the increasing popularity of fitted and bespoke furniture, both for domestic use as well as in offices and retail units. However, there is also strong competition from overseas furniture makers.
Vacancies may be advertised through local newspapers, Jobcentre Plus offices, Connexions centres and manufacturing job websites.
Entry for young people
Although no particular qualifications are required it is dependent on the job role at which you enter the industry. However, three or more GCSE’s (ideally grades A-C) are valued by employers, particularly in subjects such as English and Mathematics.
There are different ways to enter furniture making, including:

through an Apprenticeship
by starting work straight from school, as a trainee
by doing a full-time college course.

There are a number of college courses that cover furniture skills, including a City & Guilds Certificate in Furniture Production, which usually takes two years, and SQA national certificates relating to furniture, which usually take one year to complete.
There are also some higher-level qualifications, including:

A BTEC HND in subjects such as furniture design, furniture studies or furniture design and making. Courses normally last two years. Students usually need at least one A level/two H grades and four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications.
An SQA HNC in Furniture Construction and Design. Courses last one or two years. Entry qualifications are usually a relevant SQA national certificate, or an SVQ or City & Guilds certificate.
Degrees (including Foundation degrees) in subjects such as furniture design. Courses usually last three years, or two years for a Foundation degree. Candidates normally need a Foundation art and design course, a relevant BTEC/SQA national diploma or certificate, or two A levels/three H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3).

It may be possible to enter some companies as a furniture assembler, and to learn the skills needed to become a furniture maker on the job.
Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships are available in England. To find out which one is most appropriate log onto www.apprenticeships.org.uk or contact your local Connexions Partnership.
It is important to bear in mind that pay rates for Apprenticeships do vary from area to area and between industry sectors.
There are different arrangements for Apprenticeships in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For further information contact Careers Scotland www.careers-scotland.org.uk, Careers Wales www.careerswales.com; and for Northern Ireland contact COIU www.delni.gov.uk.
Entry for adults
Adult entrants are welcomed within the apprenticeship scheme. They may also be accepted on to degree courses without the usual entry requirements, particularly if they have relevant experience.

Training

Trainees who start work without any previous experience of furniture making may go to college part time to take a City & Guilds Certificate in Furniture Production or an NVQ/SVQ.
Relevant NVQs/SVQs include:

Making and Installing Furniture at Level 2
Making and Repairing Hand-Crafted Furniture and Furnishings at Level 3
Making and Installing Production Furniture at Level 3.

Getting on

With experience, furniture makers working for a large manufacturer may be able to progress to supervisory or management positions. They may also take responsibility for training new furniture makers.
Others may start their own furniture making business or become self-employed, carrying out their own work as well as working on a freelance basis for other furniture making firms, furniture restorers and/or antique dealers.
There may also be opportunities to move into teaching and furniture design.

Further information

Proskills UK, Centurion Court, 85b Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RY.
Tel: 01235 833844
Website: www.prospect4u.co.uk
The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, Furniture Makers' Hall, 12 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2HE.
Tel: 020 7256 5558.
Website: www.furnituremkrs.co.uk

Magazines/journals

Cabinet Maker
Woodworker
Furniture News

For further information please see www.proskills.co.uk, email info@proskills.co.uk or call 01235 432 032.

Proskills: Making Skills Work