Shoe Maker / Repairer
Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.
| Job Prospects |
Below Average; employment in this occupation is expected to decline to 2014-15. |
| Salary Range |
$25,000 to $30,000 plus |
| Brief |
You don't have to part with your beloved six inch boots just because the heels look as if they've walked their last mile. Shoe repairers can make all types of shoes appear as good as new.
There are approximately 150 people working as Shoe Makers / Repairers in South Australia. Employment is largely full-time and most work in the Manufacturing industry. Over half of persons in this occupation are males and most are employed in the Adelaide metropolitan area. |
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TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Shoe Maker / Repairer
Accredited (Award)
Short
Introduction
Shoe repairers have managed some pretty amazing transformations during the shoe mending and altering process. They also work their magic on other leather goods. Having an informal chat with customers to find out what's wrong with the customer's shoes is typically what happens before a shoe repairer can start working. At the same time, shoe repairers often give customers a quote for the cost of a repair.
Similar Interests?
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Practical and Manual
Set Builders, Props Makers, Scenic Artists, Lighting, Sound, Staging, Vision Technicians, Food and Beverage Attendant, Baker and Pastry Chef, Miner, Chefs, Viticulturist and Vineyard Hand, Jeweller and Gem Cutter, Horticultural Tradesperson (Gardener), Upholsterer, Animal Attendant, Nursery Worker, Butcher, Sports Coach, Aquaculture Farmer and Technician, Shearer, Kitchen hand, Landscape Gardener, Transport Services Manager, Artist, Automotive Spray Painter, Shoe Maker / Repairer, Cabinet Maker and Furniture Maker, Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, Boilermakers/Welder, Automotive Technician, Plumber, Floor Finisher, Electrician, Wool Hide and Skin Classers, Painters and Decorator, Signwriter, Carpenter, Flat Glass Tradesperson, Management Consultant, Computer Service Technician, Bricklayer
Education Requirements
This has traditionally been an occupation where people have developed their skills on the job. You will find that many people have chosen this occupation because their relatives have also been involved in it, or they have worked as cobblers overseas. At this stage only 37% of people working as shoe repairers have a Certificate III or Certificate IV. To have the best chance of gaining employment in this industry further study is recommended. Courses listed on the TAFE SA website under Fashion & Footwear will provide you with more information for this and related careers.
TAFE SA offers the Certificate IV in Custom Made Footwear to help you find employment in this occupation. Still unsure? Then enrol in a short course also offered through TAFE SA. For further information about these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website at http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au.
Career Path
Industry Training Council spokesperson says that because there is no formal training required for this occupation, there could be future shortages of skilled shoe repairers. This is currently a very small workforce that only experiences moderate turnover. When the economy is tight, people tend to repair rather than replace their shoes and demand for these services goes up. Employment for shoemakers is expected to decline, with very small occupations employment estimates can fluctuate.
Industry
Retail Trade
Interview
Philippa Joliffe - Footwear Designer
“The course gave me a really good foundation in shoe design and making. I’ve also taken extra TAFE courses in clothes making to complement my shoe design studies, and now I’ve set up my own business. I’m selling my products to two different stockists in Melbourne as well as my private clients.”
Philippa has always been interested in clothes so set her sights on studying fashion design when she left school. However, when she went to TAFE to enrol she discovered that there was a shoemaking / designing course on offer and decided to enrol in that course instead. Initially a one year course, it was extended to two years to incorporate custom made shoe design which involved a lot of work by hand rather than machine.
According to Philippa, the course gave her a “really good foundation” in shoe design and making. She has since also studied with a Bulgarian shoemaker to refine her skills, as well as taking extra TAFE courses in clothes making, which she said complemented her shoe design studies well and helped with her overall skills development.
Philippa has received government funding along the way to assist her to establish herself as a shoe designer. She received a government subsidy for a studio space at the Jam Factory; and this year received further funding from the SA Youth Arts Board. She also makes shoes for theatre and film.
Philippa has set up her own business now and designs and makes bags and other fashion accessories as well as shoes. She sells her products to two different stockists in Melbourne and has a number of private clients for whom she makes custom-made footwear. This is a lengthy process, as Philippa makes a model and individual pattern of the shoe for each customer even before work starts on the shoe itself. “I have heaps of work but each shoe is a time consuming process!” she said.
Her future plans include moving to Melbourne, where, she said, there is a thriving fashion industry, as well as the stockists of the materials she uses for her shoes.
Nature of the Job
Shoe repairers can insert new insoles, fix or fasten new heels or soles, as well as change the colour of someone's shoes. These shoe magicians are pretty skilled when it comes to changing shoe colours, but as to be expected it's easier for them to change a pair of white shoes to platinum silver, rather than the other way around, or to take darker colours to a lighter shade.
One of the most common tasks undertaken by shoe repairers is the replacement of shoe soles, great for giving shoes years more wear. When fixing a sole, they start by grinding the existing rubber sole off completely. Then it's time to check the insole. If that's worn out then I replace it. If the decorative edge (around the upper part of the shoe and running down to join the sole) is also worn out, then it too has to be replaced. A new decorative edge has to be glued on before I put on the new sole unit. The unit that was on the shoe originally, or whatever suits the shoe best, is then chosen and glued on to the underside of the shoe. It's finished off by sanding the sole for a nice, smooth finish.
Typical Physical Working Environment
Shoe makers / repairers must enjoy practical and manual activities. They need to have good hand-eye coordination and are able to work quickly and accurately. They should also be free from allergies to glue and polish.
Typical Occupational Example
One self employed shoe repairer, says the most important part about fixing shoes is to prepare the shoe before you start fixing the actual problem. ''If the shoe has lost its shape, then put in a new insole. You often have to go further than the obvious problem. ''It's important in this highly customer service oriented occupation, that shoe repairers have good verbal communication skills as this can help avoid problem situations. He says there have been incidents where customers have asked that shoes be coloured to match their bags, only to discover when the customer picks up their shoes, that it's the wrong colour! ''So the shoes have to be done again. I had another lady who came in about a year after she'd dropped off her shoes. She was saying that they had been dyed red, and she'd lost her ticket. We eventually tracked the shoes down but she had forgotten that she asked us to dye them black. We tore our hair out over that one.'' He says that he has watched changes occur in this industry. This includes the introduction of sturdier repair products, such as glues, and advancements in shoe repairs machinery. Another significant trend has been the diversification that has occurred over the past 10 years.
''No one can afford to live off shoe repairs alone any more. We have to do key cutting, engraving, watch repairs and even sell some giftware. Because of the prominence of shoe repair businesses in shopping centres nowadays, most of us have to work retail hours too,'' says a shoe repair salesman. According to him, tasks such as key cutting and engraving are generally learnt on the job by shoe repairers.
For further information, contact:
Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (SA)
PO Box 137 Welland SA 5007
Ph: (08) 8241 5855
Fax: (08) 8346 8423
Email: tcfsab@ozemail.com.au
Footwear Manufacturers Association of Australia (National Office)
22 Ceylon St Nunawading VIC 3131
Ph: (03) 9894 4470
Fax: (03) 9894 4035
Email: etaylor@surimex.com.au
Earning Potential
The starting salary is about $25,000 per year and this may go as high as $30,000 plus for self employed shoe repairers.
Further Information
For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or enquire online