Does staying on after graduating and working alongside professionals to help you get your feet off the ground sound like a dream come true? It does for many of those who are about to venture into the world of work and this option is especially attractive when you are establishing yourself as a qualified furniture maker.
At the Chippendale School we have a special incubation hub, Myreside Studios, for anyone who has graduated from the Professional Course, so that newly qualified makers can start out with minimal overheads whilst enjoying the support of our world-class tutors.
Setting up in business
Myreside Studios is a fully-equipped workshop based on our campus where some of our graduates opt to stay on, working side by side and supporting each other in the start-up phase of their businesses.
By this point, the new professionals are already well prepped with the business and marketing skills needed to promote and sell their work, and they can now get going without the added stress of forking out for equipment to set up their own workshop.
This gradual transition into life as a professional maker has turned out to be the leg-up that some of our graduates need.
On-going support
In the incubation hub, makers continue to have the invaluable support of the Chippendale School tutors.
Each studio provides a generous working space with work bench, and students can stay on in our incubation space for up to three years.
Essentially, this allows students to extend the length of the course to suit their needs by renting a bench at £350 per month after graduation. With access to the school’s tutors, they can more easily make the transition from student to craftsman under the guidance of Chippendale School resources and knowledge.
Recently, our visiting tutor Adam Stone, who specialises in woodturning, dropped in to lead a class in steam bending, a technique where steam is applied to wood to make it pliable. The heat and moisture from steam can soften the wood fibres enough to be bent and stretched, and when cooled down they will hold their new shape.
This handy woodworking technique went down a storm with our new professionals!
Fine Furniture Guild
All successful graduates of the Chippendale Professional Course are also welcomed to join the Fine Furniture Guild, set up to showcase the work of our ex-students. This is a brilliant addition to the incubation hub as it provides a way of putting potential customers in contact with a woodworker near to them – a first ‘hello’ to the world for new makers!
We know how scary it can be embarking upon a new career as a furniture maker, but when you have the right training and ongoing support to get started plus a platform to showcase your work, it takes a lot of the unknowns out of your first years of business.
Do you know what that means?
You get to focus on creating innovative designs at a consistently impeccable standard which will help you to stand out against other furniture makers.
We are currently accepting applications for our next Professional Course – you can find more information about it here.