A new college for the UK furniture sector was officially launched this week at the Furniture Makers Hall in London – and the National School of Furniture (NSF) will include training in the performance and characteristics of key raw materials, including wood.
The NSF is being set up as a partnership between Bucks New University in High Wycombe and Oxford and Cherwell Valley College.
It will offer courses from level 1 (certificate) to level 8 (PhD) and provide “short, skills-based training”, bespoke industry courses, apprenticeships, and diplomas, as well as more traditional undergraduate, foundation and master’s degree programmes.
The aim is also to raise the profile of the UK furniture sector as a job option and highlight the range of careers it offers.
The school will run courses on the campuses of both partner colleges and intends to eventually provide links via its website “for anyone in the UK furniture industry to connect to its network of partners, alumni, industry supporters, sponsors and key industry personnel”.
“This will be a hugely exciting and innovative venture, bringing [our colleges’] furniture interests together and providing an all-imporant network for the UK furniture industry,” said Dr Lynn Jones, furniture department manager and head of the NSF at Bucks New University.
“Between our two centres we can really help people to get where they want to be, whether they are students or established industry personnel in need of trainees, managers, skills or just [training] advice. It’s all about connecting teaching to the furniture industry.”
She added that NSF courses include materials science which covers timber and wood-based materials technology, looking at timber properties and characteristics, species identification and environmental issues such as certification.
The two partner colleges already have a close relationship with FIRA and want to develop links with other relevant trade organisations, including in the timber sector.
For information contact Dr Jones on ljones01@bucks.ac.uk or click here
