Case studies: Glass blower: Colin

Colin’s path into glass designing started with a modern apprenticeship at the National Glass Centre (NGC) in Sunderland. His career there has seen him develop from glass blowing assistant to glass blower, complete a degree in glass, architectural glass and ceramics and start a PGCE.

After leaving school I saw apprenticeships as a good way to educate myself, learn a valuable skill and earn a wage at the same time. Of the apprenticeships I was offered, glassblowing seemed the most interesting.

My apprenticeship started before the National Glass Centre was fully built. This allowed me to be involved with the building of the glass furnace and set up of the studio. After a few years the apprenticeship was complete and I became a glass blowing assistant. Within another two years I was a full glassblower myself. As the University of Sunderland’s glass blowing department is located in the NGC, I studied their glass degree part-time over four years. As my role in the NGC’s education programme is expanding every year I embarked on a PGCE in 2008. This will help me achieve my ambition of becoming involved full time within education.

My career route is different from most within my field as I was able to do my degree while I had the technical skills needed, rather than do the degree to learn the technical skills. The apprenticeship made me a maker; the degree made me a designer. My unique path through the apprenticeship allowed me to work my way up through my career and go to university once I already had a job. Yet it is a requirement for anyone joining the NGC’s glass-making team at assistant level to hold a degree in glass.

My time at the glass centre is split between glass blowing and teaching. As we are a visitor centre, glass blowing is performed with microphone commentary in front of the public. I design everything I make and it is sold exclusively through the NGC shop. Our main source of income for the studio is corporate commission work. I have designed and made awards for events such as the Great North Run and BBC TV personality of the year.

When teaching, I cover a range of processes including glass blowing, kiln forming, kiln fusing, sand casting, mosaic workshops and glass painting. My students’ ages range from four to 80! The classes vary from recreational to A-level applied art.

As I have always enjoyed making things, getting paid to do just that is most rewarding! I also like the creative freedom of designing everything myself. The most challenging part of the job is making people realise that British hand made glass is rare and unique, and while it can be expensive, it is worth the cost.

My advice to any would-be glass designers is to work hard. Get your work seen through gallery shows, exhibition openings, artist talks and works experience. Don’t be afraid to try new things or ask for advice. The biggest investment you can ever make is educating yourself.