Cabinetmaker

When Harry Strouzas got sick of working 13-hour days in a stressful job, having endless numbers clog his mind, he decided it was time for a career change. But what does a successful accountant in a suit and tie switch to?

For Strouzas, it was a job that still involved numbers, but of a different kind: measurements. He began an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker.

It was a dramatic decision, but for Strouzas, it was a move that has definitely paid off. He loves his new job. But before diving into a new field, Strouzas decided to test the water first and he began a pre-apprenticeship while still working as an accountant.

"The teachers were great,'' he says. "They arranged for me to attend part-time, even though it meant studying over a longer period.''

After getting a Certificate II in Furnishing-Furniture Manufacturing in 2003, he found work with Timeless Timber Gallery and began the Certificate III course.
When Timeless Timber closed last year, he moved to W.M. Fine Furniture in Mitcham, Victoria.

Strouzas was not worried about starting an apprenticeship later on in life. And the 30-year-old says he had no problems fitting in as a mature-aged apprentice at TAFE.

"The other students took a while to work out why I'd leave accounting for apprentice wages, but they began to understand when they realised I was passionate about making furniture,'' he says. "I found TAFE really enjoyable.

You can complete work at your own pace and be creative.
"Students are taught the right way to do things, and there is no pressure to get the job done,'' Strouzas says.

His TAFE teacher Chris Arnold says Strouzas was a fantastic student. "He really challenged us ... in a good way of course,'' he says. "He was inquisitive about everything and showed he had real commitment.''

Strouzas even completed the course ahead of schedule. ``He was in and out of here in no time,'' Arnold says.

Strouzas says he wants to concentrate on furniture design. He has a passion for old English and French- style pieces in particular. "That's where the passion is. I'd like to study more about it, even if it means travelling to Europe.''

Starting his own furniture business is also a possibility for Strouzas.
"Finding custom-made furniture these days is quite hard. I know there is a market. People are willing to pay for it,'' he says.

----- How to be ... a cabinetmaker -----

To become a cabinetmaker you usually have to complete an apprenticeship in furniture making (cabinet making). For further information, contact the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia, 96484455; www.fiaa.com.au

By Daniel Hoy, The Daily Telegraph, October 8, 2005.