Furniture Making Apprentice
LEBUS UPHOLSTERY LIMITED
Scunthorpe (DN16 3RN)
Closes on Wednesday 1 July 2026
Posted on 31 March 2026
Contents
Summary
Lebus Upholstery is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Furniture Making Apprentice to join our fast-paced manufacturing team. This is an exciting opportunity to begin a hands-on career in furniture production while gaining a recognised qualification.
- Wage
-
£16,224 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Furniture making operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday – Friday, Shifts to be confirmed.
39 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 14 July 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
10
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
As an apprentice, you will become a key member of our Production team, learning essential skills across multiple departments.
You will rotate every 3 weeks between:
- Frame Department - constructing high-quality furniture frames
- Upholstery Department - assembling and upholstering sofas
All Lebus sofas are handmade at our Scunthorpe site, giving you the opportunity to work with a variety of materials, tools, and techniques while contributing to high-quality finished products.
Where you'll work
Dunlop Way
Queensway Industrial Estate
Scunthorpe
DN16 3RN
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DN COLLEGES GROUP
Training course
Furniture making operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Read and interpret job specifications, technical drawings or information for furniture making activity.
- Plan furniture making activity including timescales for completion, and organise materials and resources.
- Prepare and maintain the work area.
- Apply safe systems of working including risk assessment.
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Follow workplace operating procedures.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Select tools, equipment, and machinery for furniture making activity.
- Apply first line maintenance of, tools, equipment, and machinery. For example, checking tool condition, cleaning, lubrication, visual inspection, tool calibration.
- Set up and operate furniture making machinery.
- Identify and select materials used in furniture making.
- Apply preparation techniques to materials.
- Prepare and use jigs and templates used in the work activity. Check jigs and templates for damage.
- Measure and mark out materials including measurement tool calibration checks.
- Manufacture furniture components including cutting and shaping.
- Apply jointing techniques to produce furniture components.
- Assemble and secure furniture components in position, for example clamping and gluing techniques.
- Attach furniture fittings and fixtures.
- Carry out rectification, repair and rework of manufactured furniture.
- Follow quality assurance processes.
- Pack and store components and products.
- Record furniture making activity information - paper based or electronic.
- Apply basic continuous improvement techniques. For example, lean manufacturing, six sigma, 5S and KAIZEN.
- Apply team working principles.
- Apply escalation procedures in relation to faults or issues.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Communicate verbally with colleagues and supervisors.
- Communicate in writing with colleagues and supervisors using industry terminology electronically or paper based.
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Undertake and record learning and development activities.
- Read and interpret job specifications, technical drawings or information for furniture making activity.
- Plan furniture making activity including timescales for completion, and organise materials and resources.
- Prepare and maintain the work area.
- Apply safe systems of working including risk assessment.
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Follow workplace operating procedures.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Select tools, equipment, and machinery for furniture making activity.
- Apply first line maintenance of, tools, equipment, and machinery. For example, checking tool condition, cleaning, lubrication, visual inspection, tool calibration.
- Set up and operate furniture making machinery.
- Identify and select materials used in furniture making.
- Apply preparation techniques to materials.
- Prepare and use jigs and templates used in the work activity. Check jigs and templates for damage.
- Measure and mark out materials including measurement tool calibration checks.
- Manufacture furniture components including cutting and shaping.
- Apply jointing techniques to produce furniture components.
- Assemble and secure furniture components in position, for example clamping and gluing techniques.
- Attach furniture fittings and fixtures.
- Carry out rectification, repair and rework of manufactured furniture.
- Follow quality assurance processes.
- Pack and store components and products.
- Record furniture making activity information - paper based or electronic.
- Apply basic continuous improvement techniques. For example, lean manufacturing, six sigma, 5S and KAIZEN.
- Apply team working principles.
- Apply escalation procedures in relation to faults or issues.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion rules.
- Communicate verbally with colleagues and supervisors.
- Communicate in writing with colleagues and supervisors using industry terminology electronically or paper based.
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Undertake and record learning and development activities.
Training schedule
- Training will be at North Lindsey College where you will access a wide range of facilities on offer
- Day release
- You will undertake the Furniture Making Operative standard
- You will undertake Functional Skills for English and/or maths if needed
- You will undertake both on and off-the-job training by a team of industry qualified professionals to give you the best skills, knowledge and experience that will help you become a Furniture Making Operative of the future!
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C)
- Maths (grade 4/C)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
You must be able to travel to and from work and college.
Apprentices are paid for their normal working hours and training that's part of their apprenticeship (usually one day per week).
The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage guide is updated every April (ANMW):
https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
We need to ask all applicants whether they have any relevant criminal convictions and or pending investigation as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Relevant meaning offences against a person, whether violent or sexual, offences involving drugs or controlled substances, or theft. A declaration of a relevant Criminal Conviction will result in a Risk Assessment being carried out to determine whether the applicant poses a risk to the welfare or safety of others. This does not include warnings, cautions, reprimands and (for example) speeding fines/points. A yes answer does not automatically exclude your application.
About this employer
With over 150 years of experience, Lebus Upholstery is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of upholstered furniture. Established in 1840, we operate from a modern, purpose-built 250,000 sq ft facility in North Lincolnshire—one of the largest single-site upholstery operations in the country. We are proud of our heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation. Every product is designed and manufactured on-site, ensuring exceptional quality, durability, and attention to detail. Our commitment to excellence has made us a trusted supplier to furniture retailers across the UK and Ireland.
https://www.lebus.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits - 20% discount on sofas, Employee Assistance Programme: Retailer discounts, Bike to Work scheme, Food allowance card for use in vending machines (until apprenticeship completion) and much more
After this apprenticeship
- Successful completion of the apprenticeship could lead to a higher-level apprenticeship or full-time employment for the right candidate
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DN COLLEGES GROUP
Sarah Barnard
sarah.barnard@dncolleges.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000024219.
Apply now
Closes on Wednesday 1 July 2026