Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

What the job really is

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

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-6041
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Automatic sole stitchers, Bench trimmers, Block planes, Bookkeeping software, Buffing wheels, Cobblers' pincers, Computer inkjet printers, Cordless drills, Credit card readers, Digital calipers, Digital scales

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
• Sewers, Hand
• Sewing Machine Operators
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
• Upholsterers
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
• Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
• Furniture Finishers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.