Ceramics designer or maker

You would design and produce practical goods like cups, plates, bowls and other items made of clay for people to use.

You’d come up with ideas for kitchenware, tableware, tiles and decorative items which people will find attractive as well as useful.

You would need to be able to explain ideas through sketches or computer images. You will also need to have good communication skills.

If you work for a large company you might work with clients who will commission your company to produce goods for them. You’d use materials including bone china, hard porcelain, earthenware and stoneware.

You would interpret the product requirements, called 'briefs', and create designs that the company can mass produce. You might also oversee the production, although increasingly this now happens abroad.

As a self-employed designer-maker you would design one-off items or create just a few copies of each design. You might make the items yourself by hand or using a mould or potter's wheel. You’d also decorate them yourself with paint and glazes and fire them in a kiln.

You’d sell your creations:

• From your own studio, gallery or shop
• At craft fairs or exhibitions
• Through other shops or galleries

You’d need to make sure that your products are likely to appeal to the public. You’d keep up to date with trends by carrying out research and attending trade fairs and exhibitions.