From student to teacher: a woodworker’s story

Alan McGovern – tutor at The Chippendale School of Furniture

Back in 1985, Alan McGovern was apprenticed to The Chippendale School of Furniture’s founder Anselm Fraser. Here he developed and refined the skills that would enable him to become an accomplished cabinetmaker and well-respected tutor.

37 years on, Alan takes great pleasure in passing on his wealth of knowledge to a wide range of aspiring woodworkers. We spoke to Alan about his experience at the school and the value of apprenticeship schemes for prospective woodworkers.

Q: How did you get a position as an apprentice?
A: Back then, secondary schools would set up placements with local businesses. It was either that or go and get a job, so I just went for it. I hadn’t particularly thought about going into woodworking, but I saw it as a good opportunity to get into the world of work.

Q: How did you find your placement?
A: It was very challenging. The founder of the school, Anselm, had me doing everything from sweeping the floors, cleaning the tables – you name it. During the three-year placement, I also learnt key woodworking skills and gained essential experience in cabinetry and furniture design. So while it was hard, it was 100% worth it.

Q: What did you do after completing the apprenticeship placement?
A: There were two options for me: I could either leave and look for another woodworking job, or, if I was good enough, I'd be kept on by Anselm. Anselm decided on the latter, and I've been fortunate enough to have worked with him, and helped him build up The Chippendale School of Furniture ever since.

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Alan McGovern – tutor at The Chippendale School of Furniture

Q: Did you ever consider going into mainstream education?
A: No, not at all. I actually think completing the apprenticeship was the best thing for me. The Furniture School was in its early stages, and it was a good time to join. I watched the school evolve and grow to what it is today and that has been pretty incredible.

Q: Would you say there's a stigma around not following the 'traditional route' to education?
A: Not a stigma no, but there are different pros and cons to both. You can go to university, rack up a lot of debt, and ultimately not get a job. With an apprenticeship, you may earn a low rate of pay to begin with, but you are not racking up debt and you're still working. You have that experience under your belt to get another job in the industry or even set up your own business.

Q: What's your advice to someone considering undertaking an apprenticeship?
A: I completely recommend it. Apprenticeships offer you the time to learn a trade and gain industry knowledge while earning an income. Without this background and training in a career, it can feel like you're being thrown in at the deep end. Mainstream education doesn’t give you the skills or knowledge to work in a profession like woodworking – you need hands-on experience and time to hone your craft.

Alan’s parting words say it all: "I never left the school after my apprenticeship, and now I run the school’s Intermediate Course. Not many people can say they've stayed in their place of employment for 37 years and are still enjoying it!

Alan McGovern is the tutor on the Chippendale International School of Furniture's Intermediate Course – for further information, see www.chippendaleschool.com.

COMPANY INFO
Chippendale International School of Furniture
Myreside Grange
Cockles Brae, Haddington
EH41 4JA
01620 810 680

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