Training Awards Success for Furniture Buffs
18 May 2007
A Kangan Batman TAFE furniture finishing apprentice has taken top honours in the 2007 Furniture Industry Training Awards on Monday 14 May 2007.
Mature-age apprentice Hadyn Holloway from Maryborough picked up the Certificate III in Furniture Finishing Award for his 1930s dumbwaiter which he French polished using white shellac.
'I really enjoy French polishing. While it can be a frustrating process, it really gives a beautiful finish to wood,' said Hadyn. 'I chose the white shellac for a transparent gloss to bring out the earthy colour of the wood.'
Hadyn was a meatworker before a back injury encouraged a change of career.
'I'm really good with my hands, so someone suggested I take up furniture upholstery,' said Hadyn. 'When a bloke at work gave me some runny looking stuff and told me to polish up some furniture, I found I enjoyed that more. I'm now in my second year of an apprenticeship in furniture finishing.'
Hadyn was 'rapt' at the attention he received at the awards night.
'It was the first time I'd been to anything like that, and it was also the first time I'd entered and won something,' he said. 'It proves you can really get somewhere if you try.'
Apprentice cabinet-maker Matthew Nott from Sunbury reached the finals of the Certificate III in Cabinet Making category. His entry was a handcrafted solid timber computer desk which was top-hand veneered.
'My passion for woodwork started off in high school where I did VET in Schools design technology in Year 10, 11 and 12,' said Matthew. 'I'd like to specialise in custom made, one-off office furniture. I've already started work on a piece to enter in the 2008 Furniture Industry Training Awards; it'll either be a board room table or an entertainment unit.
'Both students submitted high quality pieces of work which is a credit to them and our furniture teaching team,' said Brett Macleod, manager of the Built and Natural Environment area.
For information on Kangan Batman TAFE's furniture finishing or cabinet-making courses, visit www.kangan.edu.au or call 13 TAFE.
