EXPAND YOUR HORIZON - COMBINE SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE with REAL-WORK ENVIRONMENTS

Furniture Manufacturers are skilled craftsmen/women who make pieces of furniture. They may work in a small, independent shop that produces custom furniture or in a factory that mass-produces pieces of furniture. They will manufacture furniture such as:

• Domestic – kitchens, bedrooms, living room and other items for the home

• Office - desk, seating, tables and other items for the office environment

• Contract - furniture for public areas such as hospitals, schools, hotels and airports

• Manufacture of high quality wooden components

Apprentices will use a range of techniques to produce furniture, including hand & power tools and woodworking machinery.

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OCCUPATION DUTIES

In order to ensure sufficient flexibility to meet the needs of the industry whilst maintaining the rigour of every single apprenticeship within it, Furniture Manufacturers will need to undertake six of the following requirements, at least three must be Group A. YOU WILL KNOW HOW TO AND BE ABLE TO

Group A
Machinery, Tools and Equipment	Set up and operate machinery, tools and equipment used to produce furniture. Understand tools and equipment used
Components	Make components of furniture to specification within acceptable tolerances. Understand how and where components are used
Cutting	Use appropriate equipment to cut materials within acceptable tolerances
Joints	Understand the principles of joints used in making hand-crafted furniture
Veneers and Laminates	Select, prepare and apply veneers to items of furniture
Assembly	Assemble components of furniture. Understand the sequence of assembly and why this is important
Finishing	Apply stains, sealers, basecoats and finishes to production furniture

 

Group B
Measure and Mark Out	Measure and mark out materials to specification
Sanding	Sand materials for preparation prior to assembly, post-assembly and de-nibbing. Understand grit sizes and the process of sanding
Cramping	Position components and apply cramps to ensure products are positioned securely to specification
Fittings	Prepare and assemble components to specification, finishing and checking the assembly conforms to specifications
Gluing	Apply adhesives to components. Understand types, methods and processes involved in gluing
Jigs and Templates	Use and maintain jigs and templates for furniture production.  Jigs are used to ensure repeatability and accuracy in the production of furniture. These can be hand held or mounted on workbenches.
Edge Banding	Carry out edge-banding process following standard operating procedures.  Edge banding is the process of applying a trim or edge to the piece of furniture to make it neat and aesthetically pleasing.
Electrical/Mechanical Fittings	Fit mechanical or electrical components to furniture
Rectification/Rework	Carry out rectification or rework. This includes assessing and repairing items
Safe Handling and Storage	Pack and store products and components following standard operating procedures. Understand and follow procedures for safe handling of products

   

Downloads

• General Furniture Manufacture