Learn this valuable skill that could benefit you not only in a future career, but in your life. Sign up for a class at your school or in your community, or utilize online resources.  

Take a sewing class. 

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Check out this video of an old director's chair restoration to learn more about the skills,  tools, and processes involved in leather working.

Watch a leather working project in action!

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

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

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, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

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, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

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 human resources.

Conventional

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 fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

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/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

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.

Social

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Shoe and Leather Workers

Production Occupations

Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers

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.

Microsoft Excel

Bookkeeping software

Financial accounting software

Sale processing software

Inventory tracking software

Automatic sole stitchers

Industrial sewing machines

Outside stitching machines

Sole stitchers

Bench trimmers

Leather skivers

Mini leather cutters

Leather awls

Leather punchers

Shoe hammers

Tack hammers

Knife sharpeners

Scissor sharpeners

Portable electric fabric cutters

Rotary fabric cutters

Leather drive punch sets

Rotary hole punchers

Heavy duty scissors

Leather shears

Shoe polishing machines

Measuring tapes

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

Once a week or more but not every day

Never

How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

About half the time

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Very little freedom

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

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?

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

Overview

Career

What Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

Overview

Career

What Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders