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Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$35950	900	-3.8%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$35950

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

900

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

-3.8%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Cut fabrics.
Attach decorative or functional accessories to products.
Sew clothing or other articles.
Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly.
Prepare fabrics or materials for processing or production.
Select production input materials.
Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
Trim excess material from workpieces.
Estimate costs of products, services, or materials.
Assemble garments or textile products.
Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production.
Repair textiles or apparel.
Operate sewing equipment.
Construct customized assistive medical or dental devices.
Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
Apply water or solutions to fabrics or apparel.
Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
Evaluate quality of materials or products.
Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
Measure clients to ensure proper product fit.
Inspect garments for defects, damage, or stains.
Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
Design templates or patterns.
Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
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.
Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.
Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.
Inspect articles for defects, and remove damaged or worn parts, using hand tools.
Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles.
Prepare inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet.
Dress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape.
Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.
Clean and polish shoes.
Cement, nail, or sew soles and heels to shoes.
Check the texture, color, and strength of leather to ensure that it is adequate for a particular purpose.
Shape shoe heels with a knife, and sand them on a buffing wheel for smoothness.
Place shoes on lasts to remove soles and heels, using knives or pliers.
Repair or replace soles, heels, and other parts of footwear, using sewing, buffing and other shoe repair machines, materials, and equipment.
Cut, insert, position, and secure paddings, cushioning, or linings, using stitches or glue.
Estimate the costs of requested products or services such as custom footwear or footwear repair, and receive payment from customers.
Draw patterns, using measurements, designs, plaster casts, or customer specifications, and position or outline patterns on work pieces.
Nail heel and toe cleats onto shoes.
Re-sew seams, and replace handles and linings of suitcases or handbags.
Stretch shoes, dampening parts and inserting and twisting parts, using an adjustable stretcher.
Read prescriptions or specifications, and take measurements to establish the type of product to be made, using calipers, tape measures, or rules.
Attach accessories or ornamentation to decorate or protect products.
Make, modify, and repair orthopedic or therapeutic footwear according to doctors' prescriptions, or modify existing footwear for people with foot problems and special needs.
Select materials and patterns, and trace patterns onto materials to be cut out.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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