Upholsterers

(NOC 6345)

in All Sales and Service

Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. They work at furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies, furniture retail outlets and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Undetermined

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  • Estimate change in employment not available for this occupation.
  • Estimate 0 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for this occupation.

Compared to: All Sales and Service

  • Estimate 10325 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 17495 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

$5,956

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Sales and Service

Hourly Pay

$12.95

Minimum

$15.00

Median

$25.60

Maximum

Annual Pay

$2,949

Minimum

$16,629

Median

$45,086

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. They work at furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies, furniture retail outlets and repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Upholsterers:

  • Discuss upholstery fabric, colour, and style with customers and provide cost estimate for upholstering furniture or other items.
  • Lay out, measure and cut upholstery materials according to sketches or designs.
  • Replace worn-out webbing, springs and other furniture parts using hand and power tools.
  • Use sewing machines or sew upholstery materials by hand to seam cushions and join sections of covering materials.
  • Install padding and underlays and fasten covering materials to furniture frames.
  • Tack, glue or sew ornamental trim, braids or buttons on upholstered items.
  • Lay out, cut, make and install upholstery in aircrafts, motor vehicles, railway cars, boats and ships.
  • May repair furniture frames and refinish wood surfaces.
  • May make upholstery patterns from sketches, customer descriptions or blueprints.
  • May install, make, maintain and repair interior components of aircraft like seats, coverings, drapes, cargo nets, flooring, closets, bins and panels.

Sample job titles

  • automobile apholsterer
  • custom upholsterer
  • furniture upholsterer
  • upholsterer
  • upholstery repairer

Skills

  • You must be patient and capable of precise and exact work. Good eyesight, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination are also necessary. You must be able to follow directions closely and accept instructions from both clients and supervisors.

Job requirements

  • High school is usually required.
  • College or other specialized courses or an apprenticeship program in furniture upholstering and repair or several years of on-the-job training, including working as an upholsterer helper are usually required.

Other considerations

  • Movement to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

75

employed in 2016

73.3%

employed full-time

86.7%

self employed

0.0%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
100%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
58.2

median age

Compared to: All Sales and Service

102,605

employed in 2016

56.4%

employed full-time

5.8%

self employed

60.1%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
39.9%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
37

median age

Where will I likely work?

43.8%

Halifax

N/A
31.3%

Annapolis Valley

N/A
25.0%

Southern

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

100.0%

Other services (except public administration)

What is the age of Employment?

47.0%

55-64

24.0%

65+

18.0%

35-44

12.0%

45-54

Compared to: All Sales and Service

30.0%

15-24

17.2%

45-54

17.2%

25-34

16.1%

55-64

13.8%

35-44

Top levels of education

50.0%

Less than high school

N/A
25.0%

High school

N/A
18.8%

Trade Certification

N/A
12.5%

Bachelor

N/A

Compared to: All Sales and Service

39.8%

High school

$15,705 median annual income
19.7%

Less than high school

$9,866 median annual income
19.5%

College Diploma

$20,644 median annual income
9.9%

Bachelor

$21,262 median annual income
8.0%

Trade Certification

$21,234 median annual income

Education & training

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

No contacts were found under this occupation profile

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.