Section one: Moving from Competence to Excellence

Aspect: 

Total number of Marks (%) 

10% 

B:  Joining & Assembly 

25% 

What does competence look like in this area? 

Work organisation and planning skills are critical to production but often overlooked in UK training. Critical to efficient working is:  

• the ability to plan and maintain an organised working area, bench, and machine areas  

• taking good care of tools and equipment and the materials being used to construct the furniture  

• the ability to break a project down into separate tasks 

• the development of a plan for production which includes realistic timings for each task. 

The use of pressure tests and competitions can be a very useful tool to develop these skills during training.  

What does excellence look like in this area?  

• excellence in work organisation and management takes time to develop and requires the ability to reflect on past performance and identify areas for improvement. It could be as simple as the placement of tools on a workbench for easy access and care of the tools, or having a bench mat to place timber on, thereby reducing damage to timber and resulting in a higher standard of work and less time required in finishing 

• ability to respond to changes during production and revise plans accordingly while maintaining the quality of the project 

• set realistic goals in production and reflect on these. 

What does competence look like in this area?

Carry out the below to a marketable standard: 

• able to produce and use a range of joining techniques, traditional and modern joining systems to produce furniture and cabinets 

• assemble basic projects using a range of types of clamps and carry out basic checks  

• know how to hang both surfaces, fitted doors and fit drawers using both traditional and mechanical runners 

• correctly use a range of furniture fittings, such as traditional cut-in hinges, modern kitchen cabinet hinges, door catches, handles and stays 

• carry out furniture making activities in accordance with the risk assessment in place. 

What does excellence look like in this area?  

Carry out the below to a high standard: 

• be able to produce and assemble complex projects requiring skills such as curved work and veneered elements 

• design and produce templates and jigs to safely produce complex components 

• understand and be able to apply quality control against an agreed standard 

• assess operations of doors, drawers and other fittings, identify issues and find solutions.