Occupation surgical footwear maker

Surgical footwear makers make, modify and repair orthopaedic or therapeutic footwear according to prescriptions or specifications, or modify existing footwear for people with foot problems and special needs.

Tasks

• Read and interpret prescriptions or specifications to establish the type of product to be made.
• Take measurements of customers' feet.
• Calculate the costs of requested products or services such as custom footwear or footwear repair, and receive payment from customers.
• Draw patterns, e.g. using measurements, designs, plaster casts or customer specifications.
• Select materials (e.g. leather or fabric).
• Position or outline patterns onto materials, and cut out parts, e.g. using knives, shears, scissors and machine presses.
• Join parts, e.g. by aligning and stitching or glueing materials.
• Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.
• Prepare inserts, heel pads and lifts from casts of customers' feet.
• Position and secure inserts and linings, and attach accessories.
• Finish and clean the product, e.g. trim soles and heels to shape, check the product quality, and polish shoes.
• Perform business-related tasks such as marketing, purchasing supplies and equipment, keeping financial records, etc.

Back to the list of occupations.