Footwear stitching machine operator

Footwear stitching machine operators join the cut pieces of leather and other materials to produce the uppers. They use several tools and a wide range of machines such as flat bed, arm and one or two columns. They select threads and needles for the stitching machines, place pieces in the working area, and operate with the machine guiding parts under the needle. They follow seams, edges, markings or moving edges of parts against the guide. Finally, they cut excess thread or material from shoe parts using scissors or dyes.

The following job titles also refer to footwear stitching machine operator:

shoe sewing machine operator
binding stitcher
shoe sewing machine tender
shoe stitcher

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a footwear stitching machine operator.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Footwear stitching machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to footwear stitching machine operator.

footwear hand sewer
pre-stitching machine operator
footwear factory warehouse operator
footwear finishing and packing operator
leather goods stitching machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of footwear stitching machine operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of footwear stitching machine operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

footwear quality control laboratory technician
footwear assembly supervisor
footwear quality technician
footwear production technician
footwear production supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of footwear stitching machine operator.

• Pre-stitching processes and techniques for footwear and leather goods: Technology including machinery and techniques for the preparation for leather goods components and footwear uppers.
• Footwear equipments: Functionality of the wide range of equipments and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
• Footwear materials: The characteristics, components, advantages and limitations of a wide range of materials used in footwear production: leather, leather substitutes (synthetics or artificial materials), textile, plastic, rubber etc. 
• Footwear machinery: The functionality of the wide range of machines, and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
• Footwear stitching techniques: The technologies, equipment, machines and processes for closing the upper components of footwear by various seams such as closed, lapped, butted, welted, piped and moccasin.
• Footwear manufacturing technology: Footwear processes technology and machinery involved. The footwear manufacturing starts in the cutting/clicking room , cutting the uppers and bottom components. The upper components are joined together in the closing room by following a precise order of specific operations: skiving, folding, sewing etc. The closed upper, the insole and other bottom components are brought together in the assembling room, where the main operations are lasting and soling. The process ends with finishing operations in the finishing and packing room.
• Footwear quality: Quality specifications of materials, processes and final products, the most common defects in footwear, quick tests procedures, laboratory tests procedures and standards, adequate equipment for quality checks. Quality assurance of footwear production processes and fundamental concepts on quality including footwear quality framework and standards.
• Footwear components: Footwear components both for uppers (vamps, quarters, linings, stiffeners, toe puffs etc.) and bottoms (soles, heels, insoles etc.). Ecological concerns and the importance of recycling. Selection of suitable materials and components based on their influence on the footwear style and characteristics, properties and manufacturability. Procedures and methods in chemical and mechanical processing of leather and non-leather materials.

These skills are necessary for the role of footwear stitching machine operator.

• Apply basic rules of maintenance to leather goods and footwear machinery: Apply basic rules of maintenance and cleanliness on footwear and leather goods production equipment and machines that you operate.
• Apply pre-stitching techniques: Apply pre-stitching techniques to footwear and leather goods in order to reduce thickness, to reinforce, to mark the pieces, to decorate or to reinforce their edges or surfaces. Be able to operate various machinery for splitting, skiving, folding, stitch marking, stamping, press punching, perforating, embossing, gluing, uppers pre-forming, crimping etc. Be able to adjust the working parameters of the machinery.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of footwear stitching machine operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
• Reduce environmental impact of footwear manufacturing: Assess the environmental impact of footwear manufacture and minimise environmental risks. Reduce environmentally harmful work practices in different stages of the footwear manufacturing.
• Use IT tools: Application of computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment to storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating data, in the context of a business or enterprise.

8156 – Shoemaking and related machine operators

References

1. Footwear stitching machine operator – ESCO