You could work in independent workshops producing custom made furniture, or factories making mass produced items. You will become a skilled crafts person, and may create high quality wooden components, or furniture such as:
• domestic furniture for kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms, plus other items for the home.
• office desks, seating and tables for a range of working environments.
• furniture for public areas including hospitals, schools, hotels and airports.

You will develop the skills to create comfortable and eye-catching furniture, products and items using traditional and modern techniques, materials and fabrics. Depending upon your job role, you may:
• construct new frames or components ready for upholstery.
• prepare, repair or revive furniture ready for re-upholstery.
• create loose covers, cushions, trimmings, padded items and finishings.

If you’re creative and have a good eye for colour, this could be your perfect job. Furniture finishers are highly skilled and use techniques, such as pressure spray applications, hand polishing or machine applications, to prepare and treat a variety of timbers and man-made boards. Depending on your job role, you could finish items such as tables, chairs, cabinets, sofas, chests of drawers, kitchen units and shop fittings, or work on fitted items such as staircases, wall panels and doors. You may also be involved in the creation of decorative effects or specialist furniture finishes.

You will work closely with customers working on site in their homes or businesses.  Depending on your job role you could be responsible for preparing and installing furniture including kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms or prepare and install office, shop or exhibition interiors.

If you have an interest in furniture history, a desire to fix things, practical skills and an eye for detail, this may be your ideal job.  Using practical and scientific restoration techniques, you will be involved in the preparation, repair and restoration of antique or modern furniture.

As a furniture service repairer, you will fix a variety of problems including damage to furniture, upholstery, mechanisms and fittings.  You will have an eye for detail and a hands-on approach.  You may visit customers, on their premises to inspect and assess items, and carry out repairs.

As a wood machinist you will have a keen eye for detail and create a variety of furniture components using a wide range of machinery.  You could be working in a small workshop or a large factory, and will learn to set up, operate and maintain equipment and machines, such as saws, planers, moulders, lathes, routers, and CNC (computer numerical control)/NC machines.

As a furniture CNC specialist, you will combine an interest in using computers and machines to produce furniture components.  You could work in a small workshop or large factory, and will use CNC (computer numerical control) machines to cut, plane, shape and sand all types of wood and man-made wood components.

As a bed manufacturer you will work in factory environments developing skills in mattress making, divan and headboard making, or a mixture of both. Depending on your job role, you could develop skills in: spring making, quilting, hand stitching, panel cutting, upholstery, frame and drawer making, and the production of ottoman or adjustable beds.

Using large polyurethane blocks and other filling materials, you will produce a variety of padding, filling and cushioning materials for use in the production of upholstered furniture and bedding. Depending on your job role, you may be using small manual machines, or large automated CNC processing and cutting equipment to create fillings.