What You Need to Know About Shoe and Leather Worker or Repairer
Job Description: Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles.
A Day in the Life of a Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer
- Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.
- Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
- Nail heel and toe cleats onto shoes.
- Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.
- 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.
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Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers say are important on the job.
Active Listening: 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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Types of Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer Jobs
- Sample Shoe Inspector and Reworker
- Pad Hand
- Leather Cutter
- Bottom Cementer
- Last Repairer Helper
Is There Going to be Demand for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers?
In the United States, there were 11,000 jobs for Shoe and Leather Worker or Repairer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Shoe and Leather Worker or Repairer. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer are Utah, Idaho, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Indiana, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary
The average yearly salary of a Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer ranges between $19,440 and $39,790.

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers who work in Minnesota, Nevada, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Arizona | $23,290 |
California | $32,210 |
Colorado | $30,720 |
Georgia | $19,140 |
Idaho | $30,900 |
Illinois | $29,170 |
Indiana | $31,310 |
Maine | $30,710 |
Massachusetts | $31,180 |
Michigan | $32,360 |
Minnesota | $35,320 |
Mississippi | $26,830 |
Missouri | $28,260 |
Montana | $21,010 |
Nevada | $36,360 |
New Hampshire | $35,090 |
New Jersey | $37,050 |
New York | $27,580 |
North Carolina | $25,790 |
Ohio | $26,700 |
Oklahoma | $22,520 |
Oregon | $28,590 |
Pennsylvania | $22,930 |
South Carolina | $27,790 |
Tennessee | $28,230 |
Texas | $28,200 |
Utah | $24,880 |
Virginia | $31,740 |
Washington | $32,450 |
Wisconsin | $28,360 |
What Tools & Technology do Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Inventory tracking software
- Bookkeeping software
- Financial accounting software
- Sale processing software
How to Become a Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer
Are there Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers education requirements?

What work experience do I need to become a Shoe & Leather Worker or Repairer?

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those who work as a Shoe and Leather Worker or Repairer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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