"To train the best talent to be leading exemplars of furniture-making"
Training in the Barnsley Workshop
With its distinguished history and high standards the Barnsley Workshop provides a unique opportunity to establish a career in fine furniture making. It is a specialized field and it is hard to find employment without experience but hard to gain experience without employment.
The Barnsley Workshop helps aspiring furniture makers overcome this problem and people with ability and enthusiasm are enabled to fulfill their potential. Trainees receive a thorough practical training in a commercial environment working alongside experienced furniture makers.
Since 1980 training in the workshop has been supported by the Edward Barnsley Educational Trust. Today the tradition of high quality training continues. In 2007 current employee Gary Tuddenham won a gold medal in cabinet-making for the UK at the World Skills competition in Japan.
For either Trainee or Fee-paying positions, please click here to download an application form.
The Traineeship
Each September the workshop takes on trainees for an intensive one year paid course. We are looking for people who have already shown promise and who want to develop their skills. Trainees make a wide variety of Barnsley designs guided by Stephen Rock the craftsman-trainer.
They work on pieces from start to finish, often one-offs or occasionally a small batch run. They make the first pieces using only hand tools then spend the rest of the year making furniture of increasing complexity. After completing the course trainees are sometimes offered further training opportunities within the workshop. For a PDF with more information click here
Fee-paying pupils
The workshop takes on pupils for blocks of training ranging in length from a week to a year. For a PDF with more information click here
7 May – 6 June
Design and Bespoke Exhibition, 1-5 Exhibition Rd London SW7
5 – 15 June
Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, stand G105
16 June
Closing date for trainee applications
21 – 22 June
Workshop Open Weekend
16 – 31 August
Hampshire Artists Open Studios
25 October
Workshop Sale Day
Weekdays
8:30am - 4:30pm.
Weekends
By prior arrangement.
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