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.