University

[Beardo16]

Hi Guys

I was wandering what you guys thought of the prospects that university can bring to furniture makers.

Is it really worth it in the long run, prospects, will i reep the benifit of spending roughly 20k over the 3 years or would it generally be a waste of time.

The reason i ask is because im half way through my second year at college making furniture and im stuck in two minds as to what to do. I have just found out if i was to go onto the third year it doesnt incorporate much design based work, which is what i would like to achieve, but having asked the third year lecturer they would reccomend they said i should go straight to university and not to do the third year.

I currently work for a cabinet maker (Only in the last year) but would like to move away from mdf and more into designing.

So any input from you guys would be great as im really stuck right now.

Thanks Adam

 

[jeffinfrance]

hi adam,

personally, i cant see the point. finish your last year and get your qualification, then look for different work. if you are creative or good at problem solving, you already are a designer. you just need to practice.

jeff.

 

[tomatwark]

I had this same problem 20 plus years ago.

I decided not to go to Uni and carry on gaining experience, because I enjoy making and designing and work for myself it has probably worked out for the best.

However over the years I did apply for various management jobs only to be knocked back due to not having a degree.

On the other hand I have just had to sort out a manufacturing problem for a company on a freelance basis due to some whitless wonder just out of Uni designing something that was not practical to make the way he desigined it.

It really depends on if you want to work for yourself or if you want to work as a desiginer in a large company.

I am not saying that all the courses are a waste of time , but alot of small firms will not employ someone straight off a full time course due to the lack of practical experience when they can get someone the same age with a part time qualification with four or five years practical experience.

Tom

 

[gnu]

If you can afford to go and have the drive and enthusiasm then it should be worthwhile.

 

[Beardo16]

Thanks for the replies guys.

It has been on my mind for a while, just on monday i made a push to look into it further.

I would love to work for myself as i am currently snowed under with my own work aswell as my day job and college, but i need the experience which i am currently gaining and i think its seriously hard to make a living out of it going solo.

I think it will take alot of thought and see where i am at come the end of the year.

Adam

 

[OPJ]

Hi Adam,

Looks like you've already received some good advice. Hope things are better now than what they were the last time we spoke?

Personally, I'd stick with the college course and do your third year as well. You've already learnt all the basics and principles of woodworking; therefore, you know the possibilities and limitations of the medium with which you are working which, for me, is far more important than 'design'. Of course, any design will be affected by what is or is not practical with wood and man-made materials.

Anyone can be creative though, it is increasingly difficult (near impossible, even) to produce something which is genuinely "original" - I doubt whether another three-years of a university degree and the increasing mountain of debt would help anyone to change that.

Sit down with a sketchbook and pencil and start sketching. You almost want to try and 'lose' yourself... Stop thinking about it and just draw! Think about form. Remember: function is paramount to any item of furniture. Sometimes, it's better to let the wood do the talking - simple designs with cleans lines and a spectacular piece of grain or figuring becomes the focal point.

I know people who completed their three-years degrees [un-related subjects!] a few years ago and yet, they've still got £20,000-worth of debt hanging over their heads. What's more, many of them have since decided to follow an entirely different career path, rendering that three-year experience as almost meaningless! :roll: Unless you know for certain that you're going to get a lot out of it, although I have no experience on this, I wouldn't bother looking for a degree course, personally.

One thing you're unlikely to learn from any course at any level is the skilled speed of working required to make a success of being a cabinetmaker - that's where you're very fortunate to be working for someone else while you're learning, even if you do mostly work with MDF :wink:

Hope this helps somewhat.

 

[beech1948]

Something I was reading today seems appropriate.

That was that when you look at much of the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Deco work what you see is not the design as much of the design criteria and decoration had already been created and was often just copied or slightly changed to suit a new view of the designs.

The striking impact of much of this work was from the craftsmanship and quality of the execution. That means lots of skill with hand and power tools and the means to be able to choose whether hand or power tool was most appropriate.

Design has its place but is not the be all and end all of making.

University may be the way to go but it will necessarily be an academic approach and not a making approach. Design will be all, functionality and style will may well be left behind.

Might an alternative be to get involved with the few real professionals out there and see what they offer. David Savage provides 1 year "internships" ( sorry but I don't know what to call these appointments) where he provides within the internship time to learn to design and to draw/visualise/finalise a design. Some of Savage's work is exceptional and he insists upon very high making standards.

Could this be an alternative to Uni and a step towards being the cabinet maker you want to be. Only you know the answer to that.

regards
Alan

 

[Beardo16]

Hi Olly

Im a little better thanks, but not much

I agree 100% with what you have said in all statements. Im just glad im able to have my own workshop to try different methods, weather they work or not is a different matter

I also cant tell you how many designes i have on paper, i have alot of odd ideas which im looking to try out.

I may just stick this course out and do the final year, just watch this space.

Alan

I know exactly what you mean about working with someone like David Savage i just think trying to find that sort of money in only a small space of time would be my only concern. I know you learn alot from the experiences but that lump sum of money is a little optomistic i feel.

Thanks for the replies

Adam

 

[Chems]

With the increased expensive of University now looming, I wouldn't go and do a course in furniture making if I already had good skills (as it sounds like you do) as aposed to putting some of the money into setting up your own shop. Its insanely easy (If your not adversed to spending a fair amount of time understanding setting yourself up as self employed) to do and you can very quickly get very busy with the right attitude.

 

[Ironballs]

I would recommend getting in touch with the Leeds College of Art, they have an excellent course and facilities with a strong emphasis on Design. The course leader for the furniture making degree is a very knowledgable and experienced chap (more industry than academic background) called Richard Jones and is often to be found here as Sgian Dubh

Cheers

Damian

 

[tomatwark]

As I said earlier in this thread not all the courses are a waste of time and would certainly recommend you try Leeds if you do decide to go further with your education.

I would also look around locally and see who is making furniture of the sort you want to do as I have always found that cabinetmakers jobs are not normally advertised and either your are offered work by reputation or you have to phone around to make people aware you are out there.

I have only got one furniture industry job through an advert and that was not the job advertised but something else they thinking of.

Tom