Growing Together: Welcoming the Next Generation

An insight into our work experience week with two local high school students.

Investing in the Future

At Steven Burgess, we believe that craftsmanship isn't just about creating beautiful furniture - it's about sharing knowledge, inspiring others and helping the next generation discover what's possible.

This June, we were delighted to welcome two local high school students for a week of work experience. Rather than focusing on a single department, we wanted to give them a genuine insight into how a bespoke furniture business works, allowing them to experience every stage of a project from concept to completion.

By the end of the week, they had met every member of the team and gained a deeper understanding of the many different skills that come together behind the scenes.

Monday – Craftsmanship in the Workshop

The week began in our workshops with David and Ewen. After a health and safety briefing and a tour of the workshop and spray booth, the students learned about the machinery, tools and processes involved in creating bespoke furniture. In the afternoon, they put their new knowledge into practice by making their own chopping boards, carefully sanding and finishing them before applying the Steven Burgess maker's mark - a keepsake to take home and remember the week by.

Tuesday – Precision Behind the Design

Tuesday offered a completely different perspective.

The morning was spent with Jismi, learning about the accounting and day-to-day operations that keep the business running smoothly.

In the afternoon, Gabriel introduced the students to technical furniture design, explaining how ideas evolve from an initial sketch into detailed CAD drawings ready for manufacture. They even had the opportunity to develop concepts for a future showroom display, combining creativity with technical thinking.

Wednesday – Teamwork Behind Every Project

The students joined our weekly production meeting, seeing first-hand how different departments work together to plan projects and solve challenges.

Later, Fiona introduced them to the world of interior design, from organising our fabric and wallpaper library to practising perspective drawing. The day finished with John, who demonstrated the importance of logistics, warehouse organisation and ensuring every delivery reaches our clients safely.

Thursday – Becoming the Designer

Working alongside Mollie, the students stepped into the role of kitchen designer.

They learned the basics of CAD software, created scaled floor plans, selected finishes and materials, and presented their completed kitchen designs as though they were meeting with a real client. It was a brilliant opportunity to develop both creative and presentation skills.

Friday – Sharing the Story

The final day focused on marketing and communication.

After an introduction from Steven, the students spent time with Emma learning how we tell the stories behind our projects through photography, video and social media. They created content ideas, filmed footage around the showroom and finished the week by interviewing Steven about the business and everything they had learned.

More Than Work Experience

One of the things we wanted the students to take away from the week was that creating bespoke furniture is never the work of one person.

Behind every finished project is a team of designers, makers, technical specialists, administrators, warehouse staff and marketers, each playing an important role in bringing a client's vision to life.

It was a pleasure to have them with us, and we hope they left inspired, with a better understanding of the craftsmanship, creativity and collaboration that define life at Steven Burgess.