Annual Salary
£18,000 to £25,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Footwear manufacturing operatives make shoes, boots, slippers, sports and dance footwear for all ages.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm; on shifts
There will be
4.8% fewer Footwear manufacturing operative jobs in 2027.
In this job you could:
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work in a factory or in a workshop.
Your working environment may be noisy.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills you need in this job. Courses include:
You'll usually need:
You can do a footwear manufacturer intermediate apprenticeship.
This typically takes 12 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and off-the-job study.
You'll usually need:
You can apply directly to employers for a trainee position.
Employers will want you to show that you have good practical skills and the ability to follow instructions or job specifications. They could ask you to do a practical test at the interview stage. Experience in shoe repairs, textiles or leatherwork may be helpful.
You could join the British Footwear Association for professional development, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
You can find out more about careers and training in footwear manufacturing from the British Footwear Association.
You could move into supervisory management, machinery maintenance or quality control. With further training, you could take up a career in footwear design or as a footwear technologist.
You could also specialise in custom-made footwear, like luxury bespoke shoes, orthopaedic footwear, or historical and theatrical costume footwear.
You'll need: