About us
Why Has FIESTA been formed?
The UK has a thriving furniture and interiors sector with 8,000+ businesses employing over 250,000 and generating £24 billion to the UK’s GDP. It is a design led industry that contains many world-beating businesses. We work to attract the very best school leavers and graduates to the industry and for the sector to provide outstanding training and skills development.
What is FIESTA working to achieve?
FIESTA has been formed to unite and inspire furniture and interiors businesses, helping the industry to become a sector of choice within the UK by facilitating internationally recognised skills development.
Who is involved?
FIESTA brings together the key Trade Associations and Affiliates who represent the manufacturers in this sector together with the sector’s charity.
Achieve+Partners
Achieve+Partners is a specialist end-point assessment organisation focussed on providing end-point assessment services to the furniture, wood and merchanting industries. Decades of experience and a passionate commitment to upskilling apprentices and supporting delivery partners led to the creation of Achieve+Partners. A partner of FIESTA providing support with the skills landscape and technical guidance to the development of training tools such as apprenticeships. Learn more…
The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF)
The AMUSF was founded in 1947 (then as the AMU) to protect the interests of upholsterers, small furniture makers, and later, soft furnishers. Learn more…
The British Furniture Manufacturers Association (BFM)
British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM) is a trade association, employers’ organisation and member of the European Furniture Manufacturers’ Association. Learn more…
Commercial Interiors UK
Commercial Interiors UK creates opportunities for its member companies and provides knowledge, skills and inspiration for the furnishing industry. Learn more…
The Furniture Makers’ Company
The Furniture Makers’ Company is the furnishing industry’s charity and a City of London Livery Company and charity for the furnishing industry. Learn more..
The National Bed Federation (NBF)
The National Bed Federation is the recognised trade association representing UK manufacturers of beds and their suppliers. Learn more…
Our Vision and Mission
Our Vision:
FIESTA aims to address the furniture and interiors industry’s current and future skills needs by encouraging and inspiring new talent to join the industry, and ensuring relevant education, training and qualifications are in place to support them.
Our Mission:
FIESTA will provide an employer-led forum which allows all its stakeholders to identify, clarify, promote and engage with all issues relating to education, skills and training at all levels, for all ages and for all sizes of businesses and sectors across the UK Furniture and Interiors Industry.
FIESTA will:
Drive the development of, and access to, the most appropriate and highest quality education, skills and training for all.
Inspire employers to engage actively in current and future education, skills and training needs, providing them with the reliable, authoritative guidance they need to make informed decisions.
Encourage new talent to enter the industry and existing talent to remain and progress where appropriate.
