Shoemaker
Also known as: hand craft shoe maker, custom shoemaker, traditional shoe manufacturer, shoe repairer, cobbler
About this occupation
Shoemakers use hand or machine operations for traditional manufacturing of a various range of footwear. They also repair all types of footwear in a repair shop.
Essential skills and knowledge
- footwear machinery
- create patterns for footwear
- footwear components
- footwear equipments
- footwear quality
- apply assembling techniques for cemented footwear construction
- apply stitching techniques
- manual cutting processes for leather
- perform manual cutting for footwear uppers
- apply footwear bottoms pre-assembling techniques
- apply footwear uppers pre-assembling techniques
- apply basic rules of maintenance to leather goods and footwear machinery
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers (O*NET 51-6041.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Artistic
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness
US median pay: US$37,800 a year (2025), 7,450 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- 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
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.