Apprenticeships with ercol
Our highly skilled workforce has always been our most valuable asset for over a hundred years at ercol, and we remain committed to investing in the craftsmen and women of the future.
“Apprenticeships are essential to ensure that we pass on and develop the necessary skills that ercol needs to support growth and maintain sufficient knowledge and capability in the business as our employees retire.”
Ian Peers. Operations Director
Apprentices are key to ercol and their ability to learn and perfect traditional furniture making techniques that help to ensure that these crafts and skills are retained for future generations. As an apprentice at ercol, you’ll learn how to work safely at all times and eventually make a technical contribution to design, development, quality assurance, manufacture, installation, programming and a wealth of learning opportunities could be offered.
There’s no need to choose between education and practical skills through both on-the-job training and a part-time, college-taught course you will achieve a Level 2 or 3 NVQ giving you all the skills to start a successful career with ercol Furniture. We offer apprenticeships in;
- Electrical
- Maintenance
- Machining
- Finishing/Polishing
- Assembly
National Apprenticeship Week is always a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on our incredible young apprentices and showcase the importance of supporting the next generation of talent. We enjoyed welcoming visitors to our factory, who are eager to learn more about our apprenticeship scheme - It's inspiring to see so much enthusiasm for hands-on learning.
The theme for 2025 was 'Skills for Life', reflecting on how apprenticeships have the ability to help individuals develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers to develop a workforce with future ready skills.
This video was filmed for the Skills For Life Campaign when the Huffington Post and the Department for Education visited ercol to talk with mentor Roy, and apprentice Kieran, who explained how apprenticeships have shaped their careers.
“I enjoy learning on the job and being challenged. You are encouraged to figure things out yourself, but everybody is very supportive and there’s always someone around to help if you get stuck — they don’t just leave you on your own!”
Malaki - Machinery apprentice
“There’s a high level of quality that’s expected, and over time you come to respect and appreciate it. It’s nice to go home happy knowing that my work meets that high standard.”
Leah - Polishing apprentice
ercol offers a variety of learning schemes in conjunction with Activate Apprenticeships and The Engineering Training Trust, in two year programmes. Students either learn in-house with regular mentoring sessions with the provider, or they attend college for block release lessons at Rycotewood Furniture Centre – a renowned centre of excellence for training the furniture designers and makers of the future.
“Our apprentices learn how to work safely and efficiently, and the different areas they become skilled in means they have different paths open to them within the business.”
Roy Graves. Technical Support Manager
We regularly attend the Bucks Skills Show, Buckinghamshire’s largest and most interactive careers event. At the show, ercol will be available to answer any questions you may have about apprenticeships—either with ercol specifically or within the wider furniture industry. Their presence showcases the breadth of opportunities in woodworking, furniture design, and modern manufacturing.
ercol also demonstrates practical skills ranging from traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design processes to sustainable production methods, inspiring young people to explore careers across both creative and technical fields.
For more information about the Bucks Skills Hub and future events please see their website; https://bucksskillshub.org/
To be eligible for our apprenticeship programme you will need to be 16+ and be able to demonstrate a motivation for working in our manufacturing function. Our academic entry criteria are GCSE maths and English at grade C or equivalent preferred.
If you are interested in an apprenticeship at ercol Furniture or for any further information, please email apprenticeships@ercol.com. We have now completed the recruitment for our 2025 intake of apprentices. If you are interested in our recruitment program for 2026, please also attach your CV for consideration.
Please see the video below filmed when the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM) visited ercol to talk with our apprentices and the staff mentoring them about working in the ercol factory.
Schools
We are happy to work with local schools as part of their Careers Programmes to help educate students in apprenticeships and what they can offer.
To discuss this further please email apprenticeships@ercol.com