The skilled hands of a shoe maker have touched virtually every shoe purchased, along with leather products such as belts, purses, saddles, and baseball gloves. Shoe and leather workers and repairers construct and decorate shoes and a variety of leather and leather-like products. They cut shoe pieces, join them with glue or stitching, attach insoles and uppers, and then apply soles and heels. They may use special equipment to buff or trim shoe parts. For other leather products, they may dye and stain the leather before shaping it to a pattern. Some shoe makers make orthopedic footwear following a doctor’s prescription. Shoe repairers estimate repair costs for customers, and maintain a stock of materials for a variety of repairs. Shoe machine operators and tenders use a variety of machines to make shoes. After studying work orders, they adjust settings so machines properly stitch and edge shoes and operate at the correct rate. Operators collect shoe parts to move into the next stage of production, and make sure the finished products meet specifications and quality standards. Shoe machine operators may also perform basic equipment maintenance. A high school diploma or equivalent is usually needed for shoe making and repair positions.
What they do:
Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.
On the job, you would:
Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.
Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets.
Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.
Business
customer service
Arts and Humanities
English language
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
put together small parts with your fingers
Controlled Movement
quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Independence
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Cooperation
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Accounting software
Bookkeeping software
Financial accounting software
Point of sale POS software
Sale processing software
high school diploma/GED or some college usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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