# Joinery Workshops



## MCTWoodwork (28 Apr 2022)

Hello there,

I wondered if "anybody out there" in the world of woodwork would know of any joinery / cabinet making jobs (or company owners!) wishing to hire a newly skilled maker (Career change from Telecoms (BT) ... at 37/38 years old)? I'm living in Somerset (Originally from Manchester) but heading back up north next month, but I can move asap. Before anyone says have you tried Indeed/Reed (yes I have...) the jobs posted all want 5 years of experience. I have 12 months experience of a 50 week professional course at Rowden Atelier in Devon and 9 months at a company in Cheddar but since I need to move north with my girlfriend (due to elderly parents etc) I need a change of jobs. Any help from Manchester / Lancs / Cheshire / Yorkshire makers would be a great help! I can travel and I'm really keen, since I do not want to go back to telecoms and climb dead pieces of wood, i'd rather be making beautiful things out of them and keep up my learning/knowledge in the process.

Thanks in advance,

Matthew


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## Blackswanwood (28 Apr 2022)

Hi Matthew

It may be worth approaching some of the timber yards as they will know the local makers. British Hardwoods over in Keighley are generally very helpful.

Good luck with your search.


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## Jameshow (28 Apr 2022)

MCTWoodwork said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I wondered if "anybody out there" in the world of woodwork would know of any joinery / cabinet making jobs (or company owners!) wishing to hire a newly skilled maker (Career change from Telecoms (BT) ... at 37/38 years old)? I'm living in Somerset (Originally from Manchester) but heading back up north next month, but I can move asap. Before anyone says have you tried Indeed/Reed (yes I have...) the jobs posted all want 5 years of experience. I have 12 months experience of a 50 week professional course at Rowden Atelier in Devon and 9 months at a company in Cheddar but since I need to move north with my girlfriend (due to elderly parents etc) I need a change of jobs. Any help from Manchester / Lancs / Cheshire / Yorkshire makers would be a great help! I can travel and I'm really keen, since I do not want to go back to telecoms and climb dead pieces of wood, i'd rather be making beautiful things out of them and keep up my learning/knowledge in the process.
> 
> ...


I could give you a few leads in West Yorkshire...


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## Adam W. (28 Apr 2022)

MCTWoodwork said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I wondered if "anybody out there" in the world of woodwork would know of any joinery / cabinet making jobs (or company owners!) wishing to hire a newly skilled maker (Career change from Telecoms (BT) ... at 37/38 years old)? I'm living in Somerset (Originally from Manchester) but heading back up north next month, but I can move asap. Before anyone says have you tried Indeed/Reed (yes I have...) the jobs posted all want 5 years of experience. I have 12 months experience of a 50 week professional course at Rowden Atelier in Devon and 9 months at a company in Cheddar but since I need to move north with my girlfriend (due to elderly parents etc) I need a change of jobs. Any help from Manchester / Lancs / Cheshire / Yorkshire makers would be a great help! I can travel and I'm really keen, since I do not want to go back to telecoms and climb dead pieces of wood, i'd rather be making beautiful things out of them and keep up my learning/knowledge in the process.
> 
> ...


I can't help you with contacts, but good luck with your future career.


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## MCTWoodwork (28 Apr 2022)

Brilliant, thanks very much for your reply! I'll give them a go. Cheers


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## MCTWoodwork (28 Apr 2022)

Jameshow said:


> I could give you a few leads in West Yorkshire...



Cheers James, I'll send you my details. Thanks very much.


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## MCTWoodwork (28 Apr 2022)

Blackswanwood said:


> Hi Matthew
> 
> It may be worth approaching some of the timber yards as they will know the local makers. British Hardwoods over in Keighley are generally very helpful.
> 
> Good luck with your search.


Brilliant, thanks very much for your reply! I'll give them a go. Cheers


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## iotarho (3 May 2022)

My missus and I decided to move to Scotland on a whim, a short(ish) period after I graduated from one of the boatbuilding colleges. As we had no contacts up here, I resorted to trawling through Google and Instagram, for associated workshops that interested me, and cold calling/emailing them. It worked well, but it very much felt like "putting myself out there".

Do you have a small portfolio and/or a website to show, too?


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## Hpps (4 May 2022)

I'm in the process of starting a workshop after a change of direction with my business. I don't currently have any work I can offer you, but if you need a workshop then we should have a chat as it could benefit us both. I'm based in the SK22 area not a million miles from Manchester.


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## Freddyjersey2016 (25 May 2022)

Good luck with the search - have you tried Walters & Ackland in Kendal or Treske in Thirsk - both look big enough to have a few employees


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## Torx (25 May 2022)

iotarho said:


> My missus and I decided to move to Scotland on a whim, a short(ish) period after I graduated from one of the boatbuilding colleges. As we had no contacts up here, I resorted to trawling through Google and Instagram, for associated workshops that interested me, and cold calling/emailing them. It worked well, but it very much felt like "putting myself out there".
> 
> Do you have a small portfolio and/or a website to show, too?



Totally off-topic, but I visited a few schools in Scotland and was amazed to see boat building classes. Fantastic stuff.


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## iotarho (26 May 2022)

Torx said:


> Totally off-topic, but I visited a few schools in Scotland and was amazed to see boat building classes. Fantastic stuff.


There's abit of a revival going on up here - it's quite exciting! Through a boatyard I contract at regularly, I've become (vaguely) associated with the one of the college's that's trying to develop a course. For some reason, they're doing it from scratch, as opposed to basing it off the city and guilds course, but I 'spose it keeps someone busy...

Out of interest, which schools did you visit?


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## g1_lo (2 Jun 2022)

MCTWoodwork said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I wondered if "anybody out there" in the world of woodwork would know of any joinery / cabinet making jobs (or company owners!) wishing to hire a newly skilled maker (Career change from Telecoms (BT) ... at 37/38 years old)? I'm living in Somerset (Originally from Manchester) but heading back up north next month, but I can move asap. Before anyone says have you tried Indeed/Reed (yes I have...) the jobs posted all want 5 years of experience. I have 12 months experience of a 50 week professional course at Rowden Atelier in Devon and 9 months at a company in Cheddar but since I need to move north with my girlfriend (due to elderly parents etc) I need a change of jobs. Any help from Manchester / Lancs / Cheshire / Yorkshire makers would be a great help! I can travel and I'm really keen, since I do not want to go back to telecoms and climb dead pieces of wood, i'd rather be making beautiful things out of them and keep up my learning/knowledge in the process.
> 
> ...


Nothing beats the satisfaction you get from cabinet making and seeing a project from the shop installed in a customers home and the benefit this has on them. My best advice would be to look on instagram and look at all the companies that are producing high end cabinetry. This reason is there usually looking for fresh hard working people as we are a dieing breed. There are a load of companies all in the areas you specified so I would be surprised if you approached them all properly that you wouldn't find someone to take you on or at least build a relationship for future.


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## Jameshow (2 Jun 2022)

Any update??


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