Training Directory

Summary: Driven by curiosity and a can-do attitude, you’ll become a competent maker, opinionated thinker and a flexible designer with a set of industry-relevant skills and experiences. This in turn will empower you to find your own voice in the expanding and evolving product and furniture design world.

Summary: This research-led and practice-based MA addresses the needs of graduates from furniture and related discipline backgrounds, or those who wish to collaborate with professionals in the field. Our Furniture Design MA is one of several postgraduate design courses that co-exist at our School of Art, Architecture and Design, offering rich opportunities for the collaborative and multidisciplinary approach that is a feature of the current and future design sector, and a requirement for success in the field.

Summary: BA Product and Furniture Design puts making at the centre of design production. This ensures you develop your practical skills. You will combine these with a critical and investigative approach to objects

Summary: If you're considering a career in professional design, this course provides the skills, knowledge and practical experience you'll need. Design work covers domestic and commercial furniture, housewares and ceramics, industrial and technology products. Using our workshops, you'll have a platform for experimentation and discovery. You'll study key themes, such as sustainability, manufacturing and the roles that designers play in industry. The course collaborates and engages with industry at all levels, from live industry briefs to masterclasses and talks by industry professionals.

Summary: You may specialise in either product or furniture design. A hands-on approach incorporates research techniques, collaboration and group working, developing finished objects intended for craft, industrial production or conceptual prototype. The course is studio and project-based. You will practise interdisciplinary methods of working, often collaborating with postgraduates from other courses.

Summary: This three-year course covers a mix of applied manual, technical and digital design skills together with creativity, nurturing and developing individual style in the growing and competitive product and furniture design industry.

Summary: At the Building Crafts College we value the traditional approach to the craft of wood working. We teach the traditional skills, utilising modern tools for contemporary industry requirements.

Summary: You will be taught how to form traditional joints using hand tools and how to produce setting out using the industry standard technical drawings. As you progress modern power tools and woodworking machines are utilised to produce Joinery to a professional standard.

Summary: The Furniture Design & Making Diploma is an intensive and rigorous 2-year programme structured to provide students with the skills and knowledge  to progress towards a professional career in furniture making

Summary: A part time version of our full time course

Summary: Through researching, analysing, designing, making and immersion in material processes, this course will challenge you to make your mark on the global design industry. This course offers three pathways: Ceramics, Furniture and Jewellery. 

Summary: Design at Brunel is all about realising fantastic ideas in the real world. Our Design BSc/MDes degree is focused on developing your commercial awareness, technical skills and ability to innovate, meaning you can develop physical and digital products that both look good and work well.

Summary: Design at Brunel is all about realising fantastic ideas in the real world. Our Design BSc/MDes degree is focused on developing your commercial awareness, technical skills and ability to innovate, meaning you can develop physical and digital products that both look good and work well.

Summary: Throughout the course you'll have opportunities to produce collections of textiles and surface techniques, all of which will be showcased in a professional setting in your final year.

Summary: Furniture has been designed, made, upholstered and restored at the School of Art, Architecture and Design, London Metropolitan University (formerly the London College of Furniture), for nearly 50 years. This course continues that tradition, and is part of the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) professional qualification programme.

Summary: We have a range of AMUSF accredited and non-accredited courses which have different programme options and flexible start dates.

Summary: The AMUSF accredited course is aimed at those who want to pursue a career in upholstery and is currently the only recognised accredited qualification for budding professional upholsterers. We believe upholstery as a trade has a place in the world now more than ever and through the AMUSF course we aim to equip our students with everything they need to forge their own paths as craftspeople, focusing on creating treasured pieces of furniture that will stand the test of time. The AMUSF syllabus is a comprehensive programme that gives a grounding in traditional and modern upholstery techniques, but also in the foundations of furniture design, wood restoration and sewing. Each stage of the course is accompanied by an assessed research project focusing on valuable topics such as fabric characteristics and suitability, a history of upholstery and a history of 20th Century furniture. These projects are invaluable in giving trainee upholsterers the knowledge they need to advise real clients in the future.

Summary: This two-year course provides you with opportunities to explore the rich and diverse world of the creative industries through the lens of three dimensional design. This includes fields such as architecture, interior design, furniture, and product design. As a complementary programme to the Centre’s suite of specialist L3 Extended Diplomas this allows you a journey of creative discovery to establish where you may wish to specialise in higher education or industry. This programme will enable you to make full use of all possibilities and will unleash your creativity through a broad range of technical tools and resources from fundamental hands on activities to the use of digital technologies.

Summary: Product Design is the study of the whole creative design process – from idea to production. On this course you’ll study the aesthetic, human-centered and market-led requirements of product and furniture design to create products that are valued by the end user.

Summary: Our City & Guilds Furniture Making programme at Newark will provide you with the underpinning skills and knowledge to progress within the furniture making industry. The course is aimed at those with a passion for working with different timbers and in wanting to achieve excellent craft skills in both design and manufacture.

Summary: The ability to work to agreed targets in terms of output and quality standards is essential. Workplaces can be wide - ranging from small workshops to large factories. Furniture Manufacturers must be dexterous, have a good work ethic and able to demonstrate their ability to work individually and as part of a team

Summary: An apprentice in this occupation should expect to interact with a range of colleagues including designers, production/manufacturing managers, quality technicians, production leaders and product developers. They will need to work closely with designers and installation teams. Bespoke Furniture Makers might work alone or within small teams with other makers and will be responsible for liaising with colleagues and suppliers and in some roles with customers. They tend to work in small craft workshops but can also work in larger factoriesies.

Summary: Our Level 3 Furniture Making programme at Newark, is a continuation from the Level 2 programme and will ensure you develop your skills whilst maintaining this to a high standard. You will explore and develop the concept of both designing and producing furniture to your own designs in much more detail. The aim of this course is to provide you with the opportunity to embrace complexity and push your skill level further.

Summary: The Product Design and Technology course will equip students with skills and understanding in the effective development and communication of design ideas, the ergonomics of usability and interaction, product styling, three-dimensional designing and the production and use of prototypes as a key part of design practice.

Summary: This course explores the fabric of the world around us - from wallpaper and soft furnishings to transport upholstery and luxury fashion. The curriculum will give you the practical, digital and professional skills required to become a designer in the contemporary global textile market.

Summary: As a young, ambitious designer, we'll introduce you to all aspects of textile design, investigating fundamental principles in colour, form, scale, pattern and composition. Supported by our expert academic and technical staff, you’ll learn traditional and digital techniques with access to our industry-standard facilities.

Summary: We've been running upholstery classes from our Ashbourne Centre for 50 years. We're the only East Midlands provider of the AMUSF qualifications and are in a unique position to offer high quality courses for adults wanting to learn new upholstery skills or move into a new career. We're delighted to be offering these sought after qualifications and are looking forward to welcoming new learners. The AMUSF qualifications are very practical with learners working through a number of traditional and modern tasks and coming away from the course with knowledge, skills and unique pieces of furniture. These qualifications can lead to employment within the industry or with additional practice can lead to starting a small business. The upholstery qualification is delivered in 3 stages with each stage being a qualification in its own right, and each stage certificated separately.

Summary: Our Level 2 Diploma in Furniture Design and Making is designed to take you woodworking skills to the next level by developing your practical skills in design. If you are passionate about creating bespoke pieces of furniture from scratch, then this is the course for you. Furniture Studies students have access to an exciting range of specialist resources at the College. Our state-of-the-art workshops are equipped with specialist tools and resources for a wide range of creative craft subjects. Guided by our specialist staff and expert guest lecturers you’ll develop your skills in both wood machining and hand-crafting furniture, to equip you for employment or further study.

Summary: Our Level 3 Diploma in Furniture Design and Making develops your skills by taking you through the complete process of furniture design and production, from researching the history of furniture design to the making of your own designs into finished practical pieces. Students have access to an exciting range of specialist resources at the College. Our state-of-the-art workshops are equipped with specialist tools and resources for a wide range of creative craft subjects. Guided by our specialist staff and expert guest lecturers you’ll develop your skills in both wood machining and hand-crafting furniture, to equip you for employment or further study.

Summary: Our Level 2 Diploma in Wood Machining is designed to take your practical and design skills to the next level. You will have access to an exciting range of specialist resources at the College. Our state-of-the-art workshops are equipped with specialist tools and resources so that you are able to develop your skills in a wide range of creative craft subjects. Guided by our specialist staff and expert guest lecturers you’ll learn skills in both wood machining and hand-crafting furniture, to equip you for employment or further study. Through our strong industry links you will also have the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities including site visits and take part in competitions to hone your skills on a world stage.