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A footwear manufacturer is someone who produces children's, ladies', or men's shoes, boots, sport and dance footwear, trainers or slippers within factory or smaller studio production environment. Footwear manufacturing is a highly respected, skilled trade.

  • What will I study?

    In this apprenticeship you will be required to cover the following core skills, knowledge and behaviours:

    • Health and safety
    • Footwear construction process
    • Footwear tools, materials and equipment
    • Footwear practices
    • A proactive approach to Health and Safety procedures, personally and towards colleagues
    • Demonstrate a positive mind-set towards maintaining high standards of quality precision and excellence at all times
    • Are self-motivated and punctual at all times
    • A positive and proactive approach to respectful communication and team working
    • Respond positively and flexibly to change, new requirements and changing priorities
    • Recognise and appreciate equality and diversity in the workplace

    As an apprentice you will be working in the footwear industry and your typical daily duties will include:

    • Cutting materials (mostly leather)
    • Skiving (thinning materials)
    • Closing (sewing the upper part of the footwear)
    • Lasting (forming the footwear)
    • Attaching the sole
    • Finishing the footwear
    • Quality inspection and packing to company specification

    A training plan will be devised to suit the individual circumstances and company resources available. Minimum requirements is to ensure the candidate is provided with 20% off the job training.

  • Who is this course for?

    This course is ideal if you have an interest in footwear and fashion, have a creative flair and good eye for detail. An apprenticeship is ideal if you want to:

    • Achieve a qualification
    • Gain valuable work experience and career development
    • Earn while you learn
  • How is the course assessed?
    • 1 day at college day realise
    • Develop a portfolio of evidence
    • Assessments in the work place
    • 3 off sites visits

    To complete your apprenticeship you will have to pass an end point assessment.

  • Your Study Programme

    Generally, your study programme will be required you to attend college for one day per week. Alternative programmes may be designed on a individual company basis.

  • Knowledge

    You will develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of:

    • The awareness of health and safety regulations, relevance to the occupation and the machinist's responsibilities
    • Engineering representations, drawings, graphical information and specifications
    • Machining operations and techniques to produce complex components.
  • Skills

    You will have the ability to:

    • Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures
    • Record information - paper based or electronic
    • Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features.
  • Behaviours

    What is required?

    • Prioritise health and safety
    • team-focus to meet Work goals, for example, Work effectively with others, resolves issues in discussion with others
    • support an equality, diverse and inclusive culture.
  • General info

    All materials needed for the course are fully provided by Northampton College.

  • Progression and Career Opportunities

    After successful completion of this course you could progress your career within the footwear industry or onto a higher level qualification.

  • Entry Requirements for new students

    Applicants will typically hold:

    • 4 x GCSEs grade 9-3
    • Equivalent L1 qualifications appropriate to the apprenticeship
    • Initial assessment (BKSB and free-writing) will demonstrate the applicant is working at Entry 3 for English and mathematics

    In the absence of the above, a professional discussion may be offered to confirm suitability for the programme and likelihood to achieve.

    *All applicants will be invited for interview with an apprenticeship advisor and the employer. Equivalent qualifications will be considered.

    In exceptional circumstances, applications which do not meet the formal entry criteria may be considered on an individual basis.

  • Admissions Process

    You will need to bring:

    • Ccopies of your certificates for any qualifications already achieved
    • A copy of your CV or application

    The interview process will include an informal advice and guidance session with one of our apprenticeship advisors in preparation for a formal interview with an employer (subject to suitability for the course and job).

    You should also be prepared to sit English and maths assessments.