Discretionary Grant Available · FP&M SETARolling▾
Fibre, Processing & Manufacturing SETA · FP&M SETA
Rural manufacturing & clothing sub-sector bursaries.
- Window:
- Rolling grant intake
- Priority focus:
- Sewing Machinist · Printing · Forestry
SAQA Qualification · 103199
Furniture Upholsterer
R70 000
(Once-off Institutional License Fee)
Professional Role & Capability Blueprint
- Target Designation
- Certified Furniture Upholsterer Practitioner
- Competency Focus
- Master specialised practical applications, safety criteria, and regulatory mandates required of a qualified Furniture Upholsterer.
- Academic Weight
- Full national recognition at NQF Level 4 yielding 549 credits upon successful PoE verification.
Strategic Institutional Purpose
- Audit Objective
- Formulated to systematically bridge operational skills deficits under the governing FP&MSETA quality matrix.
- Value Proposition
- Equips your workforce with measurable, legally compliant skills to optimise productivity, satisfy Workplace Skills Plans (WSP), and unlock maximum B-BBEE scorecard weight.
Who is this for
Who should enrol? Individuals with some work experience or prior learning who wish to formalise their skills and advance their careers. The Furniture Upholsterer welcomes learners from diverse backgrounds, including those with limited formal education but relevant practical experience. The flexible learning approach ensures that everyone can progress at their own pace while achieving the same high standard of competence.
Qualification Rules · Module Matrix
Official SAQA module breakdown parsed from the qualification's registered rules.
Knowledge Modules (KM)
129 crTheory · 18 modules
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-014 cr
Basic Principles for Manufacturing of Upholstered Furniture
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-028 cr
Upholstered furniture frame preparation
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-038 cr
Upholstered Furniture Basic Cover Fitting
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-042 cr
Advanced Upholstery Furniture Technology
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-055 cr
Upholstery Pattern and Template Making Principles, Methods and Equipment
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-063 cr
Cutting Lay Requirements for Upholstery Fabrics and Materials
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-074 cr
Advanced Covering Techniques for Complex and Exposed Frames
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-084 cr
Advanced Complex Covers for Upholstery
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-092 cr
Complex Shaped Cushions and Padded Items
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-105 cr
Deep Buttoning of Upholstered Furniture
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-1113 cr
Upholstered Furniture and Prototype Making Principles
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-128 cr
Raw Materials, Consumables, Tools and Equipment Used in Manufacturing of Upholstered Furniture Prototypes
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-1317 cr
Manufacturing Principles and Processes for Upholstered Furniture Prototype Manufacturing and Reengineering
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-1410 cr
Cutting and Sewing of Fabric and Material for Upholstered Furniture Prototypes
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-1515 cr
Cover Making and Covering Methods for Upholstered Furniture Prototypes and Repairs
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-1610 cr
Technical Specifications and Configuration of Upholstery Production Equipment for Manufacturing
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-177 cr
Communication and Interpersonal Relations in the Workplace
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-KM-184 cr
Leadership and supervision in the upholstery departments
NQF Level 3
Practical Skill Modules (PM)
189 crApplied · 13 modules
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0120 cr
Prepare Foundations for Upholstered Frames
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0220 cr
Cover Prepared Upholstered Frames with Fabric and Other Materials
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0310 cr
Perform Advanced Covering Operations for Complex and Exposed Frames
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0410 cr
Perform Deep Buttoning Procedures to Decorate Upholstered Furniture
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-054 cr
Produce Cutting Lay Requirements for Cutting of Upholstered Cover Components
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0616 cr
Produce upholstery patterns and templates for the upholstery frame preparation and cutting departments
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0720 cr
Lay Out, Measure, Cut and Sew Upholstery Materials According to Templates or Specifications and Optimising Material Usage
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0830 cr
Manufacture Upholstery Bespoke Furniture or Prototypes for Bulk Production
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-0910 cr
Repair and Re-Upholster Upholstery Furniture
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-1015 cr
Inspect Upholstery Furniture During Various Stages of the Manufacturing Process to Ensure Conformance to Quality Standards
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-1115 cr
Re-engineer Upholstery Furniture Products to Address Development or Manufacturing Defects
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-1215 cr
Develop Technical Specifications and Line Setup Requirements for Manufacturing of Upholstery Furniture
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-PM-134 cr
Guide Teams in the Upholstery Manufacturing Departments to Achieve Set Targets and Outputs
NQF Level 3
Work Experience Modules (WM)
231 crSite · 10 modules
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0124 cr
Upholstery Furniture Frame Preparation Processes
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0224 cr
Upholstery Furniture Frame Cover Fitting Processes
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0315 cr
Upholstery Pattern and Template Making Processes
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0410 cr
Upholstery Cutting Lay Preparation
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0525 cr
Advanced Upholstery Covering Processes
NQF Level 3
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0624 cr
Material Cutting and Sewing Processes for Upholstery Prototypes or Bespoke Furniture
NQF Level 2
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0756 cr
Bespoke Upholstery Furniture and/or Upholstery Prototypes Manufacturing and Reparations
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0817 cr
Furniture Re-upholstery Department
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-0920 cr
Upholstery Furniture Technical Specifications and Re-engineering
NQF Level 4
- 683401-000-00-00-WM-1016 cr
Supervision in the Upholstery Department
NQF Level 4
Official SAQA Curriculum
Source of truth · SAQA ID 103199 · Field 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology › Manufacturing and Assembly
Purpose▾
The purpose of this qualification is to equip a learner with knowledge, skills and competencies to perform duties as a Furniture Upholsterer. A Furniture Upholsterer manufactures an upholstered furnishing item by fitting suspension and padding and covering a frame to give it shape, comfort, and functionality for a range of domestic, commercial and decorative uses. A qualified learner will be able to: • Read and interpret a design, drawing or sketch and take accurate measurements and calculate/estimate the number of fabrics, leather, man-made fabrics, padding and other raw material such as springs and webbing. • Make upholstery patterns and produce templates from sketches, customer descriptions or blueprints which match all quality standards. • Lay out, measure, cut and sew upholstery materials following patterns, templates, sketches, or design specifications. • Interpret specifications and prepare foundations for upholstered frames by attaching webbing, springs, foam and/or padding securely to the frame. • Fit slipcovers and loose material panels to cover frames with materials using staples, tacks and/or glue. • Manufacture upholstered furniture, upholstery prototypes and repair and re-upholster damaged furniture.
Rationale▾
This qualification will equip learners with the necessary skills and competencies to operate as upholsterers by applying upholstery skills to fit springs, webbing, padding and covering a wide range of objects covered with fabric, leather, rexine or other upholstery material. After successful completion of this qualification, the learner will be skilled and capable of creating ergonomic and comfortable furniture using both traditional and modern techniques, materials and fabrics to produce aesthetically pleasing and fit for purpose consumer products. Learners will find employment as frame preparers, cover fitters, patternmakers and furniture finishers, upholsterers or upholstery prototype makers and upholstery repairers. These skills will also open opportunities for self-employment. Target groups identified include school leavers with a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 qualification or persons who have been working in the furniture industry without formal qualifications and have the desire to formalise their skills and knowledge. Employers will benefit from appointing qualified workers in terms of increased productivity and ability to be competitive in the international market and seek markets abroad supplying quality upholstered furniture and furnishings.
Learning Assumed to be in Place & RPL▾
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment: • Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record. RPL for Access to the Qualification: • Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: • NQF Level 1 qualification with Mathematics.
Exit Level Outcomes▾
- Interpret drawings and product specifications and compile a list of materials and consumables for upholstery of furniture.
- Prepare upholstery frame for final covering by hand-building the suspension of the frame applying safety procedures and conduct a quality inspection.
- Fit and attach prepared covers and loose material panels onto prepared upholstery frames using staples, tacks and/or glue.
- Produce a cutting lay for upholstery cover components by considering optimal use of material and cut and sew upholstery components to specifications.
- Upholster furniture by fitting and attaching upholstery covers to complex and exposed prepared upholstery frames using hand and power tools.
- Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the manufacturing of upholstery furniture.
Qualification 103199 · Curriculum Architecture
Occupational Certificate: Furniture Upholsterer · NQF Level 4 (549 Credits)
Three Curriculum Pillars
Knowledge Modules
Classroom & E-Learning
- Facilitated lectures & self-study
- Written question banks
- Formative comprehension checks
Practical Skill Modules
Simulated Line Tasks
- Simulated line tasks
- Observation rubrics
- Structured task sheets
Work Experience Modules
On-the-Job Production
- On-the-job rotation
- Mentor logbooks
- Workplace sign-offs
Evidence & Audit Pipeline
Learner Portfolio of Evidence (PoE)Owner · Candidate▾
Admin & Registration
ID, learner contract, induction pack, POPIA consent.
Knowledge Evidence
Written assessments & question banks — KM-01 to KM-07.
Practical Evidence
Task sheets, observation rubrics, assessor photos.
Workplace Evidence
Logbooks, mentor sign-offs, supervisor letters.
Assessor Master FileOwner · Registered Assessor▾
Assessment Reports
Judgements, learner feedback, remediation agreements, appeals log.
Internal Moderation & Quality FileOwner · Moderator / SDP▾
Moderation Evidence
10% sampling matrix, HACCP/LOTO compliance sheets, SDP sign-off.
Final Accreditation Gateway
Issued by the accredited Skills Development Provider once internal moderation is signed off.
Provider submits declaration + PoE to the Assessment Quality Partner (AQP).
QCTO awards the SAQA-registered certificate on successful EISA outcome.
Learning Material Stack
Start-to-Exit Moderation Timeline
- 1
Pre-Delivery Setup
Facilitator induction, learner enrolment forms, baseline assessment, PoE folder issue. Alignment matrix stamped.
- 2
Delivery & Formative Moderation
Modular rollout with formative assessments per KM/PM. Internal moderator reviews evidence weekly; feedback loop before summatives.
- 3
Summative & External Moderation
Summative assessments captured, PoE finalised, submitted for external moderation. Certification uploaded to the SETA/QCTO.
Bespoke QMS Build
We author your Quality Management System — policies, procedures, records, matrices — mapped to your accreditation scope. From R18,500.
Talk QMS on WhatsAppModeration Consultation
External moderation dry-run on your PoE + delivery pack. Written report with fixes before your real audit. From R4,900.
Book Moderation SessionClassroom Transformation Blueprint
Broken Standard
- 📄Photocopied guides with mismatched outcomes
- ❔Missing formative/summative assessments
- ⚠️No SETA alignment matrix — audit fails
- 🎲Facilitators improvise Furniture Upholsterer delivery
- 🕳️PoE gaps flagged in moderation
i2Graduates Transformation
- ✓18 KM + 13 PM + 10 WM modules mapped to NQF Level 4
- ✓Pre-validated assessment bank per module
- ✓FP&MSETA alignment matrix included
- ✓Facilitator scripts + learner activities per credit
- ✓PoE templates that survive external moderation
The i2Graduates Quality Guarantee
Every page of this bundle is meticulously checked for sequence and structural perfection — no missing pages, no stolen content, no shortcuts. You get pre-validated assessment instruments ready to survive rigorous compliance moderation, wrapped in an engaging curriculum your facilitators will love teaching.