Shoe & Leather Workers & Repairers
Key Tasks
- 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.
- Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles.
- 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.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
100%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
93%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
87%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
85%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
83%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
83%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
83%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
82%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
82%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
81%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
80%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
77%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
76%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
73%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
64%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
63%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
59%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
56%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
53%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
51%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
49%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
46%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
44%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
43%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
42%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
40%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
39%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
38%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
37%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
35%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
35%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
31%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
30%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
30%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
29%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
26%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
25%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
21%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
19%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
15%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
15%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
12%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
11%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
9%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
5%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
3%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
2%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
2%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
1%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
1%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
0%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
0%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Work Styles
Work Values
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