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Furniture designer apprenticeships

Creative and media

Furniture designer apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship


    • University

    You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in: 

    • furniture and product design 
    • 3D design crafts 
    • interior design
    You'll usually need: 

    • a foundation diploma in art and design 
    • 1 or 2 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma 
    • 2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree 
    College
    You could start by doing a college course like a Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Design and Making. This would teach you some of the skills you'll need and could help you to get a job as a design assistant with a furniture making company. You may need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent.

    Apprenticeship
    You could get into this career through a furniture design technician, bespoke furniture maker or furniture product developer Level 3 apprenticeship. You'll usually need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths. You'll need to keep a portfolio of work to showcase your design skills to potential employers or customers. 

    Professional and industry bodies
    You could join the Chartered Society of Designers to get access to professional development training, technical advice and information about setting up your own business.

    Furniture designer apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need: 

    • design skills and knowledge 
    • knowledge of engineering science and technology 
    • the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
    • analytical thinking skills
    • persistence and determination 
    • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
    • knowledge of manufacturing production and processes 
    • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

    Furniture designer apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    Your day-to-day duties could include:

    • carrying out research to develop ideas 
    • working to a plan or 'brief' agreed with the client 
    • producing new designs or improving existing ones 
    • working out costs, practicality and availability of materials 
    • preparing sketches for ideas, by hand or using computer software 
    • testing ideas using models, prototypes and computer aided design (CAD) 
    • working with manufacturers on the production process
    Working environment
    You could work in a creative studio, from home or in a workshop.

    Career path and progression - Furniture designer apprenticeships

    With experience, you could progress to a more senior design position, or into a specialised area, like ergonomics. You could also set up your own design consultancy.

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    Considering an Apprenticeship?

    There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

    • Paid Training
      Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
    • Range of career opportunities
      There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
    • Earn & learn
      As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
    • Great career prospects
      Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
    • Learn on the job
      There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

    Start searching for Apprenticeships Near You

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