Glassmaker

Depending on your specialist skills, you could:

• design new, one-off pieces or ranges of glass items
•  mix different ingredients and additives
•  blow glass using a blowing iron
•  form and bend glass using heat or moulds
•  cut, grind and fix pieces of glass together using soldering or fusing techniques
•  decorate glass items using laser, point, stipple, drill, copper wheel or sand engraving
•  etch items using acid or make patterns using stencils
•  use tools and machinery like lathes and sandblasters
•  repair or conserve existing glass items like stained glass panels, windows or mirrors
•  if you are self-employed, market your business and do admin tasks

• the ability to work well with your hands
• design skills and knowledge
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of maths 
• knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
• thinking and reasoning skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship

You could set up your own business with your own creative studio or work alongside other artists as part of a creative community.

With experience and further qualifications you could teach students and apprentices in colleges or universities.