Rules, journeyman test and the certificates you must have
Legal basis, certificates from the basic course and the journeyman's certificate
Furniture carpenter and organ builder is not a trade where you need a personal authorization after training to be allowed to work — as is the case, for example, with electricity and plumbing. But the education is still strictly regulated, and along the way you must obtain a number of certifications and courses that are prerequisites for working safely.
§The formal basis
The education is an approved vocational education and is based on the common rules for vocational educations plus an education scheme describing the trade's goals and subjects. Behind the education stands a professional committee for the carpentry trade which determines content and the form of the journeyman test together with the schools.
§Certificates and courses from the basic course
On the basic course, you must usually have a number of mandatory courses and certificates in place because they are a condition for working safely with machines, chemicals, and heights. The typical ones are:
- 01Machine engraving with pantograph
- 02Epoxy and isocyanate course (work with certain adhesives, lacquers and chemical products)
- 03Setup and use of roller/system scaffolding
- 04First aid
- 05Basic fire fighting.
§The journeyman's exam
The education ends with a journeyman test where you show that you master the trade in practice. You plan produce and document a piece of work according to the trade's requirements and are assessed by a panel. If you pass you receive your journeyman certificate.
§Your journeyman certificate as proof
The journeyman's certificate is your professional proof that you are trained as a furniture maker or organ builder. It is not a government authorization but it is the recognized documentation that you know the trade — and it is often a prerequisite for getting a skilled job and later building further education on top.