The Silverlining Academy of Skills is set to provide “Ph.D. level” craftsmanship training.

 
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Silverlining Furniture has announced the launch of The Silverlining Academy of Skills – a new training programme teaching “Ph.D. level” craftsmanship techniques. The programme will provide theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice of 21stcentury craftsmanship skills such as finishing, cabinet making, laser marquetry, CNC programming and operation and leatherwork. Trainees will be recognised by receiving a competitive remuneration and benefits package from the start. Each fast-track course will take either 6 or 12-months dependent on the skill taught and any previous experience. It will consist of 16 hours of theoretical learning and 40 hours of practical training per month. The remaining time will be spent honing the practical skills on sample projects.

Why an Academy?

“Launching an academy has always been a dream of mine. I had the great honour of starting my adventure in furniture making by training under John Makepeace OBE. at Parnham House in Dorset – it was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling times of my life. I’m passionate about young people and in fact, people of all ages who haven’t worked creatively before, to discover the magic of furniture-making” says Mark Boddington.

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He adds: “on a practical level, in the age of automation, finding skilled people with superior craftsmanship skills, can be very hard. We’ve tried hiring specialists from the automotive and watch industries, yet we found that the level of skill required at Silverlining is unparalleled. That’s why we’ve decided to grow a new generation of furniture-making talent ourselves, by providing jobs and training, teaching craftsmanship skills which are in high-demand, yet are quickly disappearing.” “In addition, despite the other businesses experiencing a slowdown during the COVID pandemic, we are growing rapidly with unprecedented levels of enquiries and new projects, which require us to grow our specialist teams.”

The Finishing Programme

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The Academy is currently recruiting the first cohort to join the Finishing programme, starting in the summer of 2021. The theory section, with weekly sessions delivered by Boddington, will cover topics such as the history of wood finishes, staining and dyeing woods, various types of lacquers and resins and processes such as bleaching, waxing and oiling, as well as touching in repairs.

The practical part of the training will be led by Steven Jones, who’s the Finishing Team Leader, with Silverlining Furniture since 2011. Jones will provide in-depth lacquering tuition – from spraying and cutting back, to building up coats and polishing the final lacquer layers. The course will also offer hands-on sessions of the topics covered in the theory part of the course.

“Ultimately it is the finish that clients first notice and admire. With our finishing being at a ‘Ph.D.’ level we need to bring people through The Academy as our furniture quality is so exacting and innovative that outside training is simply not an option in the UK” says Steven Jones.

Making Magic

Silverlining is renowned for its one-of-a-kind furniture pieces which combine timehonoured craftsmanship, with the latest technologies. What’s earned the company a global following, is also its passion for storytelling and wide-ranging influences found in each piece – whether that’s an obsession with the cosmos, a detailed trajectory of falling leaves, some of the most known mathematical formulas, or Russian postconstructivism. This progressive approach to design resulted in Silverlining pieces found on the world’s most coveted yachts, in private jets and residences, commissioned by modern patrons of the arts.

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“Inspiration and a broad range of influences are key to creating captivating furniture pieces,” says Boddington. “That’s why at the Academy, we provide a broad range of co-curricular activities. To learn a skill, we believe it is important to study both history and innovation, as well as materials and finishes past and present, using our eyes and ears for inspiration. The activities will include visits to historic houses such as Chatsworth House and Nostell Priory to see the period and modern furniture collections, The Yorkshire Sculpture Park for form, material, texture and finish, and today’s centres of excellence in design and engineering such as Bremont Watches, Bentley Motor Cars and McLaren, to truly inspire our trainees, expand their views and show how limitless creativity can be” says Boddington.

Who can join the Academy?

The Academy is open to everyone – it doesn’t require any prior formal skills, as all the skills required will be taught during the course. The Academy will welcome a young person looking at career options after leaving school as well as a mature adult, with a passion for craftsmanship, looking for a career and lifestyle change.

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“Whilst we provide all the craftsmanship skills through the academy, we are looking for people who are passionate about furniture-making, craftsmanship and innovation. People who will take pride in creating museum-quality pieces, which sit at the nexus of furniture and works of art” adds Boddington

The future of the Silverlining Academy

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With the Finishing programme currently recruiting trainees for a summer start, further courses will follow in cabinet making, laser and CNC operation, drafting, and leatherwork.

The Silverlining Academy of Skills initially will be located at the Silverlining Furniture HQ and workshop in Wrexham, Wales. By 2023/24 the Academy will operate from its dedicated premises, based alongside a new inspirational design studio and a manufacturing centre of excellence.

The Academy is set to generate 20 jobs locally between now and 2024 when it moves into its permanent premises. The project has the support of the Welsh Government.

Lesley Griffiths Member of the Senedd for Rural affairs and North Wales commented “Silverlining’s furniture is exceptional and world-renowned. The Academy will provide amazing opportunities for people to learn new skills for life, as well as enabling the Wrexham-based company to create many more highly rewarding jobs for the area.”


About Silverlining Furniture

Established more than 35 years ago, Silverlining is one of the furniture making’s leading names. The company has gathered following among the global aesthetes, thanks to its progressive design ethos that combines time-honoured craftsmanship techniques with the latest technologies. From the company base in Wrexham, North Wales, Silverlining’s 62-strong team of designers, makers, project managers, and other specialists seek out the finest materials – from rare woods and exquisite leathers to precious metals – and draw on the best of old and new techniques to conjure them into extraordinary pieces. They call it ‘making magic’. Silverlining is the double winner of Queen’s Award for Enterprise, recognised both for its international trade success and product innovation. The company has also been named a gazelle business, showing increasing revenues by more than 20% annually for over four years.


 
Priya Rawal