Marine upholsterer

Description

Marine upholsterers manufacture, assemble and repair interior components for all types of boats. They use power tools, hand tools and shop equipment to prepare and fasten materials and apply finishes. They also inspect incoming materials and prepare the boat interior for new components.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to marine upholsterer:

boat upholsterer
marine upholstery finisher
marine furniture maker
marine interior furniture maker
ship upholsterer
marine upholstery repairer
marine soft furnishing maker
marine upholstery maker
marine upholstery assembler

Minimum qualifications

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a marine upholsterer.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Marine upholsterer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Marine upholsterer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to marine upholsterer.

aircraft interior technician
motor vehicle upholsterer
railway car upholsterer
aircraft de-icer installer
bicycle assembler

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of marine upholsterer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of marine upholsterer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

aircraft maintenance engineer
electromechanical engineering technician
avionics inspector
geothermal power plant operator
pulp control operator

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of marine upholsterer.

  • Upholstery tools: Set of tools used for upholstering furniture, walls and floors such as staple gun, foam cutter, staple remover.
  • Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of marine upholsterer.

  • Apply preliminary treatment to workpieces: Apply preparatory treatment, through mechanical or chemical processes, to the workpiece preceding the main operation.
  • Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
  • Align components: Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.
  • Use power tools: Operate power driven pumps. Use hand tools or power tools. Use vehicle repair tools or safety equipment.
  • Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
  • Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
  • Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
  • Test electronic units: Test electronic units using appropriate equipment. Gather and analyse data. Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.
  • Fasten components: Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.
  • Use technical documentation: Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.
  • Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of marine upholsterer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Mechanics of vessels: The mechanics involved in boats and ships. Understand the technicalities and participate in discussions over related topics in order to solve problems related to the mechanics.
  • Electricity: Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.
  • Electrical wiring plans: Pictorial representation of an electrical circuit. It shows the components of the circuit as simplified shapes, and the power and signal connections between the devices. It gives information about the relative position and arrangement of devices and terminals on the devices, to help in building or servicing the device. A wiring diagram is often used to troubleshoot problems and to make sure that all the connections have been made and that everything is present.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of marine upholsterer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Sew textile-based articles: Sew different products based on textiles and wearing apparel articles. Combine good hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and physical and mental stamina.
  • Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
  • Provide customized upholstery: Install custom upholstery, according to the customer’s individual requests and preferences.
  • Use manual sewing techniques: Use manual sewing and stitching techniques to manufacture or repair fabrics or textile-based articles.
  • Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
  • Manufacture fabric furnishings: Fabricate and design curtains, seat coverings, carpets and other fabric furnishings by cutting and sewing fabric and other materials.
  • Install transport vehicle interior components: Use hand and power tools to install interior components of boats, aircrafts and railway cars such as seats, armrests, floor coverings, lining, storage compartments or lavatories.
  • Install floor coverings: Install carpets and other floor coverings by taking the correct measurements, cutting the fabric or material at the appropriate length and using hand and power tools to fix them to the floors.
  • Upholster transport equipment’s interior pieces: Upholster seats and other transport equipment interior pieces by using hand and power tools.
  • Install plumbing systems: Install systems of pipes, drains, fittings, valves, and fixtures designed for the distribution of potable water for drinking, heating, washing and waste removal.
  • Cut fabrics: Cut fabrics and other wearing apparel materials considering measures, placement of the fabrics in the cutting table in multiple layers, and making the most efficient usage of the fabric avoiding waste. Cut fabrics by hand, or using electric knives, or other cutting tools depending on the fabric. Use computerised systems or automatic cutting machines.
  • Sew pieces of fabric: Operate basic or specialised sewing machines whether domestic or industrial ones, sewing pieces of fabric, vinyl or leather in order to manufacture or repair wearing apparels, making sure the threads are selected according to specifications.
  • Repair wiring: Find faults in wires or cables by using specialised equipment and repair these faults depending on type of wiring.
  • Install wall coverings: Install curtains, wall panels, window shields and other wall coverings by taking the correct measurements, cutting the fabric or material at the appropriate length and using hand and power tools to fix them to the walls.
  • Accurately estimate work hours: Assess the necessary work hours, equipment, and skills required to successfully complete a task.;
  • Perform upholstery repair: Repair/restore damaged upholstery for a wide range of vehicles; use materials such as fabric, leather, plastic or vinyl.
  • Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
  • Integrate system components: Select and use integration techniques and tools to plan and implement integration of hardware and software modules and components in a system. Apply specific testing techniques to ensure integrity during system integration.
  • Install low voltage wiring: Plan, deploy, troubleshoot and test low voltage wiring.
  • Install transport equipment lighting: Install lighting elements in transport equipment according to blueprints and other technical plans.

ISCO group and title

7534 – Upholsterers and related workers


References
  1. Marine upholsterer – ESCO
Last updated on October 21, 2022

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