Upholsterer
What the work is
Makes, rebuilds and repairs upholstered articles such as chairs, sofas, beds and mattresses.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assesses items to determine the nature of upholstery required
- Consults clients regarding upholstery preferences and provides estimates of costs
- Repairs or replaces damaged upholstery
- Fits upholstery to new items of furniture
- Operates tools and equipment for upholstery work
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a small tailoring and alterations studio with a sewing room out the back. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A bride sees herself in the finished dress and the whole room goes quiet
- A pair of boots you resoled come back on the feet of someone who loves them
- Cutting a pattern so cleanly that every piece lines up on the first try
Hard days
- A rush job before a wedding, with a customer who keeps changing their mind
- A flaw in the fabric appears only after you have cut into the last length
- Hours bent over a machine with sore shoulders and a deadline that will not move
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 399438, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.