By craft workers for craft workers

apprenticeship program in crafts

We established Friends Craft Cooperative to enable craft workers to make a good living doing honest work.

Apprenticeship Program Outcomes

Fair Pay

At RM2,500, apprentices with no experience start at more than 2x the industry standard. Many workshops do not even pay apprentices during their training period.

Masterclass

Our training and products specialise in traditional hand skills required in high end custom furniture work. This level of carpentry skills is highly demanded useful both domestically and internationally.

Incomes Generated for participants

RM47,700 (June 2025)

Our apprenticeship program is a highly regarded full time one year program in fine furniture making.

Selected candidates will be provided full training support to succeed. Allowances begin at RM2,500 for the first 3 months of probation. Increment when signed on permanently.

Ideal applicants are seeking stable full time employment to develop their skills for a career in furniture making. Applications are highly competitive.

  • No formal education necessary

  • Attention to detail/quality conscious

  • Seeks clarity in communications with others

  • Adaptable to change and willing to be innovative

  • Ability to use and maintain basic hand tools and measure accurately

  • Prior carpentry experience is preferred, but not essential

  • Priority is given to individuals from low income family backgrounds

Requirements

Apprenticeship program in woodworking

Curriculum

Friends Craft Coop’s product line is a training program for apprentices to develop mastery over fundamental and traditional woodworking skills. Each product teaches and is a practice for a theory or technical skill (e.g. finishing, relative marking, dovetails etc.).

Focusing on traditional hand skills positions apprentices as highly skilled carpenters who can build fine furnitures with limited capital startup and toolsets.

By the end of one year, apprentices are expected to design and build a furniture of their own design. Graduating apprentices may be offered a full time position at Friends Craft Cooperative or will receive job placement support. Graduates may also continue as an independent craftsperson at Friends.

FAQs

  • Friends Craft Cooperative offers a matching grant for individuals or organisations who want to sponsor qualifying candidates from low income backgrounds. This means you will only need to sponsor half the apprentice's wage.

  • Experience in any form of making is preferred, but not necessary. However, applicants who have demonstrable interest and shown an ability for already learning/researching on their own initiative are more likely to be successful.

    We highly recommend those who have never worked a manual job nor have craft making experience to first try under the recreational membership.

  • Part time (minimum 20 hours/week) is only available for individuals with responsibilities beyond their control. E.g. You are the sole caregiver for an elderly parent; you require time off to attend to young children etc.

  • [No vacancies currently available]

    The apprenticeship is for serious candidates only. You may send us an email to friendscraftcoop@gmail.com to apply.