Is becoming a glass blower right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
Still unsure if becoming a glass blower is the right career path? Take the free CareerExplorer career test to find out if this career is right for you. Perhaps you are well-suited to become a glass blower or another similar career!
Described by our users as being “shockingly accurate”, you might discover careers you haven’t thought of before.
How to become a Glass Blower
Glass blowing is hot, potentially dangerous work. A glass blower needs a high tolerance to heat, manual dexterity and the patience to work the molten glass using a step-by-step process. Some art and design schools, community colleges and adult schools offer classes in the basics of glass blowing. Students learn how to create the molten glass itself, how to manipulate blowpipes, which blowpipes are best to achieve a desired result and the process of taking glass from a white-hot heat to a safe and cool creation. Glass museums, shops and individual glass blowers also may offer classes in the techniques of glass blowing.
Gaining a coveted apprenticeship with an accomplished, expert glass blower is considered the best way to get hands-on experience and to really practice the craft. While art classes can teach the basics, it takes experience to learn the nuances of taking glass beyond utility and into the realm of artistry. What an apprentice does in exchange for practical glass-working experience varies from artist to artist.