Footwear & Leather Working Trades

Workers in this unit group make and repair shoes, cut out, make up, sew, decorate and finish leather and leather substitute goods other than garments.

Tasks

• Uses hand tools or machine to cut out, trim, punch holes in or stitch guide lines on leather or leather substitute component parts
• Positions leather and rubber footwear component parts on lasts and shapes and joins uppers to insoles and soles
• Uses hand tools or machine to make up and repair saddles, harnesses, belts, straps and other leather products
• Uses hand and machine tools to sew and stitch leather and/or other material in the making and decoration of footwear and leather goods other than garments
• Prepares paper or paperboard master patterns of component parts of footwear
• Waxes, cleans and finishes footwear and other leather goods.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is mainly on?the-job. NVQs/SVQs are available in some areas.