Furniture Manufacturing Workers

Advancement opportunities in the furniture manufacturing industry are often limited and usually depend on employee skills, seniority, and job availability. In addition, larger companies tend to offer more possibilities for promotions than their smaller counterparts.

Beginning as stock movers, helpers, or assistants, unskilled workers can become semi-skilled machine operators and then skilled finishers or assemblers. Some employees move up to jobs as pattern or sample makers, the most skilled and highest paid floor positions in the industry.

With considerable on-the-job training, some employees advance to become inspectors or supervisors. Others who take on additional responsibilities, attend industry workshops, or complete college programs can move into management positions.

Employees with creative ability can advance to work as furniture designers. And highly skilled veterans with self-discipline and ambition often establish their own shops. These self-employed entrepreneurs find, however, that investment in tools and equipment is required and that competition for business is frequently fierce.