Occupational Profiles

The following is a summary of main duties for some occupations in this unit group:

• Carvers use hand tools and woodworking machines to produce carvings from wood, stone and other materials and to carve ornamental designs into wooden furniture and other objects.
• Glass blowers design and create glass objects using blowpipes and artisan's hand tools and equipment.
• Metal arts workers design metal jewellery, utensils, implements, wall hangings and other objects and create them from gold, silver, copper, pewter and other metals.
• Potters design ornamental and ceramic functional earthenware pieces and create them using clay, moulds, potter's wheels and other equipment, glazing materials and kilns.
• Stained glass artists design stained glass windows, lampshades and other objects and cut, paint, fire and assemble pieces of stained glass to create such products.
• Instrument makers construct instruments by applying their knowledge of wood, ebonite, metal properties and other materials and instrument design using hand and power tools.
• Weavers use hands or loom to interlace strips of flexible material such as wool, cotton, silk, grasses, bark and rawhide to make baskets, wreaths, wall hangings, clothing, rugs, blankets and other objects.
• Craft instructors prepare craftmaking lessons, gather the required working materials and demonstrate and teach craftmaking techniques.
• Artistic floral arrangers design bouquets, corsages, sprays, wreaths and other floral arrangements and select natural and artificial flowers, foliage and decorative accessories to create arrangements or other floral items to suit customers' requirements.

• Skills are often learned through apprenticeship with a master craftsperson.
• Training programs are offered by artisan guilds, colleges and private studios.
• Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of safe handling of material, tools and equipment are required.
• A college diploma in fine craft techniques may be required.