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Furniture restorer apprenticeships

Creative and media

Furniture restorer apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • specialist short courses


    • University

    You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in: 

    • art and design 
    • furniture design
    • furniture restoration 
    • product design
    You'll usually need 1 or 2 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma. You'll need 2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree. 

    College
    You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include: 

    • Level 2 Diploma in Furniture Making 
    • Level 2 Diploma in Furniture Finishing Methods 
    Some colleges and adult education centres run more informal courses in craft and restoration. Courses include topics like repair methods, staining, veneers and French polishing.

    You'll usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a Level 2 course. You'll need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a Level 3 course. 

    Apprenticeship
    You can complete a Level 2 or 3 apprenticeship in restoring furniture or advanced upholstery. You'll usually need: some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for a Level 2 apprenticeship. You'll need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for a Level 3 apprenticeship.

    Other Routes
    You can do short courses in woodworking skills and restoration techniques through the British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association. 

    Furniture restorer apprenticeships - what it takes

    Skills and knowledge

    You'll need:

    • to be thorough and pay attention to detail 
    • the ability to work well with your hands
    • persistence and determination 
    • the ability to work on your own 
    • the ability to come up with new ways of doing things 
    • customer service skills 
    • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools 
    • the ability to organise your time and workload
    • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

    Furniture restorer apprenticeships - what you'll do

    Day-to-day tasks

    You could: 

    • work out the best way to conserve or restore a piece of furniture 
    • advise customers about restoration options 
    • estimate prices and give quotes 
    • gather the materials needed for a job 
    • use techniques like woodturning, veneering and marquetry
    • mix and apply colours and stains
    • gild, polish and upholster items 
    • keep photographic and written records of the process
    Working environment
    You could work in a factory or in a workshop. Your working environment may be dusty. You may need to wear protective clothing.

    Career path and progression - Furniture restorer apprenticeships

    You could set up your own furniture restoration business, carrying out work for organisations and the public, or work as a consultant for museums, auction houses, historical or heritage sites, or antique dealers.

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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!

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