VISAT NORTH LIMITED
LITTLEBOROUGH (OL15 9EG)
Closes in 30 days (Friday 6 November 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 6 October 2026

Summary

New England Design are looking to recruit an apprentice upholsterer to learn all aspects of upholstery within the industry over a duration of 24 months.

• Wage: £16,224 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age.
• Training course: Furniture manufacturer (level 2)

Hours:

• Monday-Thursday: 06.45-15.00
• Friday: 06.30-15.00
  39 hours a week

Start date: Monday 16 November 2026
Duration: 2 years
Positions available: 1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• All aspects of upholstery training
• New furniture, sofas and chairs
• Reupholstery of new and old furniture
• Quality check work
• Follow H&S requirements
• Follow customer specifications

Where you'll work

PYTHON WORKS TODMORDEN ROAD
LITTLEBOROUGH
OL15 9EG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider: NORTH LANCS. TRAINING GROUP C.I.C.

Training course: Furniture manufacturer (level 2)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Maintain Tools & Equipment: Perform regular autonomous maintenance tasks on machinery, tools and equipment used.
• Problem Solving: Identify issues quickly, solve problems and apply appropriate solutions
• Achieve quality and output targets: Carry out work to required quality standards and output targets.
• High attention to detail, must monitor and check work meets specifications and must follow methodology and processes.
• Health & Safety: Comply with health, safety and environmental requirements, relevant statutory regulations and industry standards/codes of practice at all times
• Spring Making: Prepare work area, set up machine for appropriate spring type and size and produce springs to the required specification
• Quilting: Prepare for and carry out mattress quilting operations. Understand and operate quilting machines
• Tape Edging: Prepare work area, set up machinery, select materials and carry out tape edging. Tape edging is usually the final process in mattress making. It involves closing the mattress up by the application of a tape using a sewing machine
• Hand Side Stitching: Identify and sort components and sew materials to specification
• Panel Cutting: Prepare and cut fabric and components used for panels. Understand and use any machinery used in this process
• Mattress Assembly: Assemble mattresses using appropriate components such as spring units and fillings to agreed standards. This will involve the use of equipment such as a glue spray and staple guns.
• Tufting: Tuft mattresses to appropriate pattern and standard
• Sewing: Produce sewn / seamed components by hand and through the use of machinery.
• Headboard Upholstery: Upholster headboards including pleats, deep buttoning, ruching and fluting
• Upholstery: Prepare, cut and apply upholstery materials, trim and finish divans
• CNC Routing: Prepare, set up, operate and maintain computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinery to produce shaped headboards
• Wood Machining: Prepare, set up, operate and maintain machinery to produce wood components
• Laying and Cutting Fabrics: Prepare and cut fabric and components
• Frame Making: Prepare and assemble frames using jigs
• Drawer Making: Upholster drawer fronts, prepare and assemble drawers
• Ottoman / Adjustable Bed Frames: Produce ottoman or adjustable beds ensuring the mechanisms are correctly attached and in working order
• Preparation: Production Process & Flow Requirements: Prepare, arrange and coordinate material flow through identified work stations following required production route
• Finishing: Rectification / Rework: Identify faulty products and undertake rectification process
• Finishing: Safe Handling and Storage: Pack and label products in the required format according to customer specification
• Optional: Lay Up, Measure & Mark Out: Operate manual and / or automatic fabric spreading equipment using safe systems of work.
• Optional: Cut Shapes: Cut shapes using manual hand held cutting equipment and / or CNC fabric cutter according to safe systems of work
• Optional: Prepare Cut Parts & Sew Components: Prepare cut components ready for sewing and sew by hand through use of sewing machinery.
• Optional: Prepare Cases: Prepare cases in line with filling requirements
• Optional: Fill Cases: Fill cases through use of manual and / or automated filling methods
• Optional: Finishing: Close filling opening to required standards through use of closing machin
• Optional: Operate CNC Machinery: Prepare, set up and operate foam CNC & profiling machinery using safe systems of work.
• Optional: Operate Large Cutting Machinery: Prepare, set up and operate vertical and horizontal cutting machines using safe systems of work.
• Optional: Operate Small Cutting Machinery: Operate small cutting and shaping machinery using templates and jigs to ensure repeatability and accuracy of component parts
• Optional: Prepare Components: Prepare all cut components along with required drawings ready for assembly
• Optional: Automated Fabrication: Operate automated fabrication line to required operating procedures.
• Optional: Manual Fabrication: Assemble cut parts through correct use of sprayed adhesive equipment and assembly techniques to the required tolerances and quality standards
• Essential: Measure and Mark Out: Measure and mark out materials to specification within the acceptable tolerances following standard operating procedures.
• Essential: Tooling: Select, prepare and maintain CNC/NC tooling.
• Essential: Operate CNC/NC Machinery and Equipment: Operate CNC/NC machinery and equipment to meet company requirements. Prepare tools and equipment including tooling technology and calibration of measuring equipment.
• Optional: Methods of Measurement: Inspect and use measuring equipment, keep tools and equipment clear of debris and dirt.
• Optional: Jigs and Templates: Use and maintain jigs and templates for furniture production. Jigs are used to ensure repeatability and accuracy in the production of furniture. These can be hand held or mounted on workbenches.
• Optional: Sanding: Sand materials for preparation prior to assembly, post-assembly and de-nibbing. Understand grit sizes and the process of sanding. This includes the use of wide belt sander, overhead narrow belt sander, disc sander, bobbin sander, linisher and profile sander.
• Optional: Edge Banding: Carry out the edge-banding process following standard operating procedures. This includes colour matching, timber and PVC lippings, calibration and finishing techniques.
• Optional: Planning : Prepare, set up and operate planes. This includes surface planer and thicknesser (can be a combined machine) and four sided planer and moulder (for planed all round).
• Optional: Joints: Prepare, set up and operate CNC/NC machinery to produce jointed wood and wood­ based products. This includes chisel morticer, chain morticer, slot morticer, dovetailer, vertical spindle moulder, stair router, single-end tenoner, double-end tenoner, round-end tenoner, dowler and router
• Optional: Assembly: Assemble components of furniture following standard operating procedures.
• Preparation: Requirements: Analyse and agree finishing requirements following organisational procedures. A customer can be internal or external to the organisation.
• Preparation: Prepare furniture for finishing: Prepare hand crafted or production furniture for finishing this will include sanding, grain brushing, repair, stripping and general surface preparation.
• Finishing: Finishing Applications: Apply stains, sealers, primers, oils, polishes, varnishes, waxes, lacquers and finishing coats to furniture. Finish furniture by spraying.
• Finishing: Decorative & Specialist Effects: Create decorative effects or specialist finishes on furniture
• Preparation: Customer Service: Agree the requirements, scope of the work and the budget with the customer. Set expectations with the customer.
• Preparation: Assessment: Assess items of furniture for repair in order to produce a condition and options report.
• Preparation: Requirements: Evaluate and specify restoration requirements. Develop a plan for the restoration work.
• Preparation: Research: Carry out research to understand the history of furniture and the different periods.
• Restoration: Repair & Restore: Repair structural components. Replicate and restore components.
• Basic Finishing: Prepare existing and newly restored surfaces and finish furniture using basic finishing method
• Finishing: Reporting: Write a report on the work that has been carried out to include sketches and photographs of the process.
• Finishing: Recommendations: Provide the customer with relevant aftercare and instructions and recommendations for future use and handling.
• Optional: Decorative Effects: Re- create decorative effects on furniture.
• Optional: Re-upholstery: Reupholster structural and decorative elements of furniture. Ensure you use appropriate fabrics.
• Optional: French Polishing: French polish furniture using traditional methods to a glass finish.
• Machinery, Tools and Equipment: Set up and operate machinery, tools and equipment used to produce furniture. Understand tools and equipment used
• Components: Make components of furniture to specification within acceptable tolerances. Understand how and where components are used
• Cutting: Use appropriate equipment to cut materials within acceptable tolerances
• Veneers and Laminates: Select, prepare and apply veneers to items of furniture
• Assembly