The Furniture Makers’ Company and the Sylva Foundation are launching the Woodworking Teachers Network, a new national initiative designed to connect, support, and empower educators working in woodworking and furniture making education.
The network emerges as a direct response to the findings of a comprehensive survey conducted in spring 2025, which gathered the views of 55 teachers, tutors, and technicians from across Great Britain. The research, complemented by the recent Crafting Connections seminar, painted a picture of both the value of woodworking education and the urgent challenges facing those who deliver it.
Among the most findings, 73% of educators surveyed said they strongly supported the creation of a national network, with many citing isolation, underfunding, outdated curricula, and lack of tailored professional development as major barriers in their work. Educators – many of whom came into teaching from successful careers in industry – voiced a shared desire for stronger peer connections, modern training opportunities, and greater recognition of their subject's importance.
“This is about more than just sharing teaching resources – it’s about building a vibrant, supportive community of educators who are passionate about craftsmanship and committed to passing on their knowledge,” says Joseph Bray of the Sylva Foundation. “Through this network, we aim to nurture excellence in teaching, promote innovation, and ensure that woodworking education continues to thrive into the future.”
The newly launched network will provide: peer mentoring and collaboration, allowing experienced and early-career educators to support one another across institutions; subject-specific CPD, with opportunities to develop skills in areas such as machine safety, CAD/CAM, digital drawing, pedagogy, neurodiversity and sustainability; an online hub to share teaching materials, safety protocols, project templates, industry case studies and more; in-person and online gatherings to foster connection, professional dialogue and shared learning; and advocacy and thought leadership, working with awarding bodies and policymakers to promote the value of woodworking education.
Educators from all settings – including secondary schools, further education colleges, universities, independent training centres, charities and freelance instructors - are invited to join the network. Importantly, the initiative recognises and values the contributions of informal and non-traditional educators as much as those in formal education systems.
“Woodworking education holds the power to transform lives – building confidence, creativity, resilience, and tangible skills,” says Chris Hyde, education and training chairman at The Furniture Makers’ Company. “Through this network, we want to give back to the teachers who give so much to their students, often with little support.”
The idea for the network was developed during the Crafting Connections seminar, held at the Sylva Wood Centre in June 2025. More than 30 educators attended, representing a broad cross-section of institutions. Lively discussions explored shared needs and aspirations, including how to update curricula, improve diversity among student cohorts, build industry and heritage partnerships, and make CPD more meaningful and accessible.
An online kick-off meeting is scheduled for autumn 2025, and a second in-person event will be hosted in 2026. In the meantime, Sylva Foundation and The Furniture Makers’ Company are working together to build a digital platform for ongoing collaboration.
A copy of the report and findings from the Crafting Connections seminar is available to download here.
