Footwear manufacturer
Level 2 · IntermediateEngineering and manufacturing 1.3 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
A Footwear Manufacturer apprenticeship trains you in the specialist craft skills required to make footwear by hand and machine, including cutting, lasting, sole attachment, and finishing in a footwear factory or workshop. You will develop precision techniques to produce high-quality shoes and boots to design specifications. This standard leads to skilled craft roles, product development, or supervisory positions within UK footwear manufacturing.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Footwear construction methods - cemented, welted, and moulded
Cutting and clicking leather and other upper materials
Closing and stitching upper components
Lasting techniques and bottom-stock preparation
Sole attachment, finishing, and polishing
Quality inspection of footwear components and finished shoes
Safe use of footwear machinery and tools
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Cut upper materials to pattern using clicking tools or press
Close and stitch upper components on sewing machines
Last uppers over shoe lasts and prepare for sole attachment
Attach soles using cementing, welting, or stitching
Finish and polish shoes to the required standard
Inspect components and finished footwear for quality defects
Maintain footwear machinery and hand tools
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 2 (Intermediate) - roughly GCSE level. Often open with few or no formal qualifications - a strong first step. Some employers ask for a couple of GCSEs.
What’s next: Typically leads on to a Level 3 (Advanced) apprenticeship.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
Hear from employers
What it’s really like
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