You can acquire a variety of skills within furnishing trades.
Furniture making concentrates on the production of solid and free standing furniture, while cabinet making is the term given to flat panel construction of kitchen/bathroom furniture. Upholstery workers select fabric including canvas and acrylics, applying contemporary and traditional upholstery finishing techniques to upholstered furniture. Wood Machining (Timber Manufactured Products) workers set up, operate and maintain woodworking machines to cut, plane, shape and sand solid timber to the required shape and size using a wide range of machinery.
Course list
Certificate III in Cabinet Making
Learn to make cherished chairs, loved lounges, solid shelves and custom cabinets
This apprenticeship will give you the skills to create furniture using hand and power tools, industrial machinery and CNC processing centres. On completion you'll be ready for a career as a furniture maker or cabinet maker.
Do you want a trades career making cherished chairs and loved lounges, solid shelves and custom cabinets?
When you complete the Certificate III in Cabinet Making you'll be ready for a career as a furniture maker or cabinet maker.
You will gain the knowledge and skills to work effectively in the furnishing industry and learn to create furniture using using hand and power tools, industrial machinery and CNC processing centres.
The Certificate III in Cabinet Making is an apprenticeship; please see the Apprenticeships section for more information.
Certificate III in Furniture Finishing
Polish up your furniture finishing skills
This apprenticeship course will give you the skills required to become a furniture finisher or worker and experienced furniture finishers have a range of job opportunities open to them.
Polish up your skills and gain a career in furniture finishing
Refinishing or refurbishing timber products and furniture can add a sparkle to any new or old build. You'll learn about using environmentally sustainable work practices to make or renew timber products.
This apprenticeship will give you the skills required to become a furniture finisher or worker and experienced furniture finishers have a range of job opportunities open to them.
The Certificate III in Furniture Finishing is an apprenticeship; please see the Apprenticeships section for more information.
Certificate II in Furniture Making (Cabinet Making/Furniture Making Pre-Apprenticeship)
Want a trades career making cherished chairs and loved lounges?
This course will help you to gain an apprenticeship in furniture or cabinet making. Cabinet makers work from plans or drawings to make furniture and fixtures for new homes, offices and shops.
Do you want a trades career making cherished chairs and loved lounges?
When you complete the Certificate II in Furniture Making (Cabinet Making/Furniture Making Pre-Apprenticeship) you'll be what employers are looking for in an apprentice furniture maker or cabinet maker.
Cabinet makers work from plans or drawings to make home and office furniture, including built-in cupboards and fixtures for new homes and shops. Furniture making concentrates on the production of solid and free standing furniture.
Many employers now prefer apprenticeship applicants to have completed a pre-apprenticeship. This course will give you the skills, knowledge and behaviours to prepare you and make you more competitive when applying for apprenticeship positions. It will give you a better chance of gaining an apprenticeship and a flying start in learning a trade.
Furniture Polishing Introduction Short Course
Fix up or rejuvenate old or second hand furniture
This course will give you the skills to effectively and safely use lacquers, putty and shellac to carry out antique restoration of old and used furniture.
Breathe new life into tired treasures
This course is for anyone who wants to fix up or rejuvenate old or second hand furniture. You'll learn how to effectively and safely use lacquers, putty and shellac to carry out antique restoration of old and used furniture.
You can bring in your own timber furniture project to work on. If you dont have a project we can supply an item for you to work on but we will retain it after completion of this short course.
Certificate III in Timber and Composites Machining
Get into the timber machining industry
This apprenticeship will give you the skills to perform timber and composites machining for the manufacture of furniture, cabinetry and other timber components.
Get into the timber machining industry
This course will provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge to perform timber and composites machining for the manufacture of furniture, built in and freestanding cabinetry and other timber components. You will utilise a range of static machinery as well as specialist computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery to manufacture components as specified in working drawings and cutting lists. You will also gain the fundamental knowledge required to perform machine set up, operational maintenance and basic troubleshooting.
The Certificate III in Timber and Composites Machining is an apprenticeship; please see the Apprenticeships section for more information.
Certificate III in Upholstery
Create new masterpieces and return old furniture to its former glory
In this apprenticeship course you'll learn to dismantle and reassemble furniture; select, cut, sew and fit fabric and leather upholstery materials; and produce loose covers.
Consider a creative career in upholstery
This course will give you the skills and knowledge to carry out upholstery work, including dismantling and reassembling furniture.
The Certificate III in Upholstery is an apprenticeship; please see the Apprenticeships section for more information.
Upholstery Introduction
Get creative, tackle your own new upholstery project or even return a piece of old furniture to its former glory
Get creative, tackle your own new upholstery project or return a piece of old furniture to its former glory
In this short upholstery course, you will learn the basic skills required to produce a small piece of furniture which may include a dining chair, small armchair or an ottoman (projects are subject to change and will need to be discussed and approved by the instructor).
Along the way you will learn how to use many of the hand tools and power tools used by an upholsterer.
The first week will focus on the various techniques used in the trade and their application. It will also encompass the safe use of the tools and a discussion of Workplace Health and Safety requirements so that you can get on your way to tackling your project.
Please note no heavy machinery will be used on this introductory short course.
Woodwork Introduction
Learn the basics of woodworking to create small pieces of furniture
You'll learn how to use hand and power tools to build an item such as a coffee table, toy box or bedside cabinet.
Show off your newly found wood working skills
This short course will teach you to build a bedside cabinet.
You'll learn how to use many of the hand tools and power tools used by a cabinet maker. During your first week you'll focus on the various power tools used in the trade, learn about their application. The safe use of tools and Workplace Health and Safety will also be covered.
You'll also cover:
- marking out and cutting timber to size
- methods of joining and fixing timber using glue, nails, screws and bolts
- clamping materials together correctly
- the use of drawer runners and other hardware
- ornate trims and mouldings
Materials and hardware will be supplied. No previous experience required.
Dress requirements
You will need to supply your own personal protective equipment (PPE) including safety glasses, earmuffs or ear plugs, dust mask and closed in footwear.