Sole and heel operator

Sole and heel operators attach soles or heels to the footwear by stitching, cementing or nailing. They may work with several machines, for example for slipping the lasts, or for roughing, dusting or attaching heels. They also operate various machines both for stitched or cemented constructions.

The following job titles also refer to sole and heel operator:

sole stitcher
sole blacker
shoe cementer
heel nailing machine operator
heel nailing machine tender
sole cementer

High school diploma is generally required to work as sole and heel operator. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Sole and heel operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to sole and heel operator.

hand lasting operator
lasting machine operator
pre-lasting operator
footwear finishing and packing operator
footwear hand sewer

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

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

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of sole and heel operator.

Footwear bottoms pre-assembly: The equipment and techniques used for the preparation of bottom components in the footwear industry, including soles, heels, insoles, etc.
Assembling processes and techniques for cemented footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for lasting and soling in case of cemented footwear constructions.
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: Tthe functionality of the wide range of machines, and the basic rules of regular maintenance.
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 sole and heel operator.

Apply footwear bottoms pre-assembling techniques: Split, scour surfaces, reduce sole edges, rough, brush, apply primings, halogenate the soles, degrease etc. Use both manual dexterity and machinery. When using machines, adjust their working parameters.
Apply assembling techniques for cemented footwear construction: Be able to pull the uppers over the last and fix the lasting allowance on insole, manually or by special machines for forepart lasting, waist lasting, and seat lasting. Apart from the main group of lasting operations, the responsibilities of those assembling footwear cemented types may include the following: bottom cementing and sole cementing, heat setting, sole attaching and pressing, chilling, brushing and polishing, last slipping (before or after finishing operations) and heel attaching etc.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of sole and heel operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Assembling processes and techniques for california footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for assembling california footwear construction type.
Assembling processes and techniques for goodyear footwear construction: Technology, equipment, machines and tools for assembling Goodyear footwear construction types.

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

8156 – Shoemaking and related machine operators

References

1. Sole and heel operator – ESCO