MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) – Virginia’s furniture industry is in serious need of upholsterers.
Local furniture manufacturers in Southside say they have a hard time finding people willing to do the work, despite the high demand for upholstered furniture.
Joyce Snead, manager of the Virginia Employment Commission office in Martinsville, says that in her ten-plus years in the office she has found upholstery jobs to be among the hardest vacancies to fill.
Snead suspects people have misconceptions about upholstery — primarily that it’s a dirty job.
Shenandoah Furniture, American of Martinsville and AC Furniture are all looking for upholstery workers. They get paid based on how many pieces of furniture they complete — which means they have the potential of earning 35,000 to $40,000 a year.
Shenandoah employees said the job can be mentally as well as physically demanding.
Pete Taylor, a 25-year upholsterer for the company, said the job requires manual dexterity, plus patience and an ability to pay close attention to the task at hand.
Information from: Martinsville Bulletin, http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com
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