Shoemaker Food, Wood & Garment Trades Workers
SaveWhat Does a Shoemaker Do?
Shoemakers use hand or machine operations for traditional manufacturing of a various range of footwear. They also repair all types of footwear in a repair shop.
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Where Do I Start?
Pattern Grading
Know about cutting patterns accurately and grading the patterns to obtain the size series in case of mass production. Know how to mark notches, holes, seam allowances, and other technical specifications. Make adjustments and obtain the final patterns for cutting in order to compensate any identified problems during sampling.
Sign up to trackReady to go deeper? Pick up to 3 skills to focus on from the list below.
These are common skills for this role. Real-world experience matters more than ticking every box — use this as a guide, not a checklist.
Skills You Need to Become a Shoemaker
Essential Skills
Essential Skills
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EssentialPattern Grading knowledge
Know about cutting patterns accurately and grading the patterns to obtain the size series in case of mass production. Know how to mark notches, holes, seam allowances, and other technical …
Recommended Books
1 bookDesigning, Cutting and Grading Boot and Shoe Patterns, and Complete Manual for the Stitching Room, by an Expert of Thirty Years -
EssentialFootwear Machinery knowledge
Tthe functionality of the wide range of machines, and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialFootwear Manufacturing Technology knowledge
Footwear processes technology and machinery involved. The footwear manufacturing starts in the cutting/clicking room , cutting the uppers and bottom components. The upper components are joined together in the closing …
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialFootwear Materials knowledge
The characteristics, components, advantages and limitations of a wide range of materials used in footwear production: leather, leather substitutes (synthetics or artificial materials), textile, plastic, rubber etc.
Recommended Books
1 book -
EssentialFootwear Components knowledge
Footwear components both for uppers (vamps, quarters, linings, stiffeners, toe puffs etc.) and bottoms (soles, heels, insoles etc.). Ecological concerns and the importance of recycling. Selection of suitable materials and …
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialFootwear Equipments knowledge
Functionality of the wide range of equipments and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialFootwear Quality knowledge
Quality specifications of materials, processes and final products, the most common defects in footwear, quick tests procedures, laboratory tests procedures and standards, adequate equipment for quality checks. Quality assurance of …
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialManual Cutting Processes For Leather knowledge
Cutting rules, variance of the leather properties on its surface and elongation directions of the footwear pieces.
No book recommendations available yet.
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EssentialApply Assembling Techniques For Cemented Footwear Construction skill
Be able to pull the uppers over the last and fix the lasting allowance on insole, manually or by special machines for forepart lasting, waist lasting, and seat lasting. Apart …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Basic Rules Of Maintenance To Leather Goods And Footwear Machinery skill
Apply basic rules of maintenance and cleanliness on footwear and leather goods production equipment and machines that you operate.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Footwear Bottoms Pre-assembling Techniques skill
Split, scour surfaces, reduce sole edges, rough, brush, apply primings, halogenate the soles, degrease etc. Use both manual dexterity and machinery. When using machines, adjust their working parameters.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Pre-stitching Techniques skill
Apply pre-stitching techniques to footwear and leather goods in order to reduce thickness, to reinforce, to mark the pieces, to decorate or to reinforce their edges or surfaces. Be able …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Footwear Finishing Techniques skill
Apply various chemical and mechanical finishing procedures to footwear by performing manual or machine operations, with or without chemicals, such as heel and sole roughing, dying, bottom polishing, cold or …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Footwear Uppers Pre-assembling Techniques skill
Prepare lasts and uppers, attach insole, insert stiffener and toe puffs, mould the upper on back part, and condition the uppers before lasting. Perform the above-mentioned operations both manually or …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialApply Stitching Techniques skill
Apply footwear and leather goods stitching techniques using the appropriate machines, needles, threads and other tools in order to obtain the required model and to comply with the sewing technical …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialCreate Patterns For Footwear skill
Produce the mean form or shell, a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional shape of the last. Create scaled patterns for uppers and bottom components by manual methods from the designs.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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EssentialPerform Manual Cutting For Footwear Uppers skill
Check and complete cutting orders, select leather surfaces and classify cut pieces. Identify faults and defects on the leather surface. Recognise colours, shades and type of finishes. Use the following …
Course recommendations coming soon.
Optional Skills (5 of 6 displayed)
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OptionalAutomatic Cutting Systems For Footwear And Leather Goods knowledge
The use and description of automatic systems technologies used in footwear and leather goods industry such as laser cutting, knife cutting, punch cutting, mill cutting, ultra-sound cutting, water jet cutting …
Recommended Books
2 books -
OptionalApply Machine Cutting Techniques For Footwear And Leather Goods skill
Adjust and establish the machine technical operating parameters for cutting footwear and leather goods. Check and select the cutting dies, classification of the cut pieces against cutting restrictions, specifications and …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalCreate Solutions To Problems skill
Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalPractice Innovative Thinking In The Footwear And Leather Goods Industries skill
Innovate and create in the footwear and leather goods sector. Evaluate new ideas and concepts to turn them into marketable products. Use entrepreneurial thinking in all stages of the product …
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalReduce Environmental Impact Of Footwear Manufacturing skill
Assess the environmental impact of footwear manufacture and minimise environmental risks. Reduce environmentally harmful work practices in different stages of the footwear manufacturing.
Course recommendations coming soon.
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OptionalUse Communication Techniques skill
Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
Course recommendations coming soon.