Shoemakers and related workers

Shoemakers and related workers make, modify and repair standard, custom or orthopaedic footwear and natural or synthetic leather articles, such as luggage, handbags and belts, (except for leather garments, hats and gloves), or participate in the manufacture of shoes and related goods. They decorate, reinforce or finish shoes, luggage, handbags and belts.

Job Responsibilities

• Making, modifying and repairing standard footwear to meet individual requirements
• Making, modifying and repairing orthopaedic or therapeutic footwear according to doctors' prescriptions, or modifying existing footwear for people with foot problems and special needs
• Repairing belts, luggage, purses and similar products
• Taking plaster casts of deformed legs or foot to prepare drawings
• Preparing inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet
• Studying drawings and other specifications to make footwear according to customer’s needs
• Studying work orders and/or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used
• Checking the texture, colour, and strength of leather to ensure that it is adequate for a particular purpose
• Cutting out, shaping and padding parts for making leather articles
• Sewing rips or patching holes to repair articles, such as purses, belts, shoes, and luggage
• Removing and examining shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels
• Attaching accessories or ornamentation to decorate or protect products
• Making and repairing articles such as saddles and harnesses for animals, luggage, handbags, briefcases, leather bags, belts and other accessories