January Furniture Show lead sponsor of unique course

Image shows the group who attended the pilot course in 2014 – from left to right Simon Attard, Kelly Baker, Manon Martel and Thomas Whitfield

Organisers of The January Furniture Show have confirmed their place at the heart of the industry with the news they are to be lead sponsor of The Furniture Makers’ Company new Young Professionals course.

Designed to give some of the brightest and best young talent in the furnishing industry an unrivalled opportunity to learn about the sector and its supply chain, the launch of the Young Professionals’ Industry Experience follows a successful pilot project in 2014.

Said January Furniture Show co-director Theresa Raymond: “The course is a unique opportunity for the industry’s potential future leaders to gain an unrivalled insight into the furnishings sector. The programme has been designed for aspiring young professionals and graduates who are progressing well through early employment – and we are delighted to play our part in helping them on their way.”

Jonny Westbrooke, Clerk and CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company said: “We are thrilled to have The January Furniture Show on board as the main sponsor for this fantastic experience for aspiring young professionals, helping us to support the leaders of the future for our industry.

“The Young Professionals course represents the pinnacle of our education programme. It is thanks to our network of contacts that we are able to provide a unique and intensive three-week training programme during which the candidates are tasked with considering the challenges which will be faced by the industry in the future.”

Young Professionals are nominated to attend the course by their employers and are interviewed by senior members of the Company. The course runs during June and July this year, and covers multiple aspects of the industry, from components and raw materials to the complexity of manufacturing, testing, buying criteria, pricing, marketing, merchandising, customer service, consumer law and after sales.