Skills Development

Courses Offered

The Furniture Technology Centre is registered with the Department of Education as a Private Further Education and Training College and is accredited by the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP & M SETA).

We offer skills development learning programmes in the Core and Elective Unit Standards of the Furniture Making Qualifications towards the following qualifications at NQF Levels 2 and 3:

Skills Programmes

Short Courses

Learnerships / Apprenticeships

Skills programmes

Skills Programmes are learning programmes designed to train the learner in the practical and applied competencies of one or more unit standards. When the learner has completed the skills programme, and has practised these skills in a work environment, he or she may request an assessment. The candidate who is assessed and found to be competent will be awarded credits which may be accumulated towards a National Certificate in Furniture Making.

Learnerships / Apprenticeships

These programmes are governed by a signed legal Agreement between the learner, employer, training provider and FP &M SETA. Employers who registered learners on these programmes can apply for Discretionary Grants from FP &M SETA and Tax Rebates.

49091: National Certificate Furniture Making (Wood)

49105: National Certificate Furniture Making (Wood) at NQF Level 3:

Wood Machining (Please click here for Course Details)

Cabinet Making (Please click here for Course Details)

Upholstery (Please click here for Course Details)

Wood Finishing (Please click here for Course Details)

Special Programmes

The Furniture Technology Centre also offers Special Programmes, which are not currently registered on the National Qualifications Framework. They have been developed to address the specific needs of our clients.

It must be noted that some of these programmes currently do not qualify for any grants or subsidies.

Coffin Making

The Coffin Making programme is registered with FP &M SETA as a Skills Programme. Learners who complete the programme and gain sufficient workplace experience can be assessed against the constituent unit standards and accumulate credits towards the furniture making qualification at NQF Level 2.

Coffins are either made from board products or solid wood or a combination of both. The learner can select from learning programmes that specialize in producing coffins made from:

Board products only (chipboard / coated or veneered boards): From 20 days
Solid wood and board products: From 25 days

The choice is dependent on the machines available to the business, and their market.
The length of the course is dependent on the client’s needs.

Wooden windows and doors

This programme is registered with FP &M SETA as a skills programme. Learners who complete the programme and gain sufficient workplace experience can be assessed against the constituent unit standards and accumulate credits towards the furniture making qualification at NQF Level 3. It is advisable that learners wishing to accumulate credits should complete the machining unit standards at level 2 before attempting the level 3 unit standards.

Supervisor Development Programme

This programme is designed to provide the first line manager with basic production management skills that enables them to manage their production units more efficiently.The programme is offered in factory and the content and duration is determined by the needs of the client. On average the programme consist of eight contact sessions delivered over a period of eight weeks and the minimum number of learners accepted per client is six.

Workstudy

This programme is designed to introduce the learner to the concept of productivity and to develop basic productivity improvement techniques.

Short Courses

These are specialist courses that cover specific machines or skills, for example the Radial Arm Saw, spray painting, re-upholstery etc. These short courses include setting up of equipment, basic equipment maintenance, health, safety and housekeeping, and operating the equipment / performing the processes that meet the required specifications and standards.