Application
This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to measure, cut and sew custom-made shoe components.
This unit of competency applies to the preparation, cutting and sewing of custom-made shoe components, including stuff cutting, making or modification of lasts, making of soles, sole and heel units, and insoles. Discretion and judgement may be required, for both self and others, in planning and selecting processes, procedures or outcomes. The unit of competency applies to workplace activities associated with producing custom-made shoes and the degree of complexity will relate to leather and other materials being used and intricacy of design.
Work may be conducted in small to large scale enterprises and may involve individual and team activities.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Determine job requirements | 1.1 | Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) |
1.2 | Comply with work health and safety (WHS) requirements at all times | ||
1.3 | Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with SOPs | ||
1.4 | Identify job requirements from specifications, drawings, job sheets or work instructions | ||
2 | Confirm custom-made footwear requirements | 2.1 | Review and confirm client requirements and design specifications |
2.2 | Determine materials required for production, confirm availability and order special or one-off materials from appropriate suppliers | ||
2.3 | Review pattern to ensure compliance with design requirements | ||
2.4 | Clarify design features with patternmaker, if required, and identify technical aspects of production | ||
3 | Prepare shoe last | 3.1 | Construct an original last from selected materials to produce a last with the desired shape and dimensions |
3.2 | Make inside build-ups (additions), form to the last and shape to comply with design specifications | ||
3.3 | Trial fit build-up components to review fit and function, modify if required, and attach | ||
3.4 | Check the last and any build-up components, and make adjustments and refinements, if necessary, in line with design requirements and established production standards | ||
3.5 | Check shoe last for construction faults and compliance with design specifications | ||
4 | Prepare and make components | 4.1 | Prepare components according to workplace procedures |
4.2 | Correct size cut pieces, mark, count and stamp according to work ticket and to workplace specifications | ||
4.3 | Prepare components using appropriate method and equipment and according to workplace requirements | ||
5 | Cut or click leather | 5.1 | Cut parts manually or by machine to enterprise quality standards in relation to material flaws and individual pairs selected |
5.2 | Click pairs and cut manually or by machine to achieve best yield according to appropriate allowance | ||
5.3 | Check work against pattern and design requirements | ||
6 | Prepare and make the upper | 6.1 | Prepare upper according to workplace procedures |
6.2 | Process upper manually or by machine | ||
6.3 | Machine seams and trim threads to achieve specified results | ||
6.4 | Check upper against pattern and design requirements | ||
7 | Conduct final quality check for operations | 7.1 | Check final product meets workplace quality requirements |
7.2 | Deal with production faults in accordance with workplace procedures | ||
7.3 | Bundle uppers and component parts, stack, store or despatch in accordance with workplace procedures | ||
7.4 | Document process and faults | ||
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include:
reading and following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safe work practices
applying relevant standards
clarifying design requirements and cutting leather and other materials
Operating appropriate tools and equipment used in the production of custom made shoes
constructing an original last from selected materials to produce a last with the desired shape and dimensions
shaping and modifying lasts to meet specifications
checking the last and any build-up components, and making adjustments and refinements, if necessary, in line with design requirements
preparing components using appropriate method and equipment
cutting parts manually or by machine to enterprise quality standards
preparing and sewing the upper manually or by machine
dealing with production faults in accordance with workplace procedures
checking final product meets workplace quality requirements
maintaining accurate records of faults, products and processes
applying all the relevant work health and safety (WHS) practices when working in the leather goods production industry.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:
safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
relevant Australian Standards
anatomy of foot and ankle
characteristics of last:
slip on
court
boot
sandal
inner shoes
last-making methods and materials
shoe construction methods
design requirements:
colours
quantities
quality requirements
size
componentry
measurements
style
characteristics of typical leathers, fabrics and other materials used in shoe production
operating procedures for cutting and machining leather
tools and equipment:
knives and cutting tools
stamps
sewing machines
threads
needles
hand tools
machine tools
computers
mechanical duplicators
quality standards and leather handling procedures
material flaws of leather, including veins, growth marks, tick and scars
WHS and environmental aspects of relevant workplace activities
workplace procedures
processes for communicating with clients and other personnel
WHS practices, including hazard identification and control measures
practices for recording and reporting outcomes.
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment, as set by the VET regulator
have vocational competency in preparing, cutting and sewing custom-made shoe components, at least to the level being assessed, with relevant industry knowledge and experience.
Assessment should occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible, or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.
Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
Foundation Skills
This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | |
Workplace procedures include one or more of the following: | requirements prescribed by legislation, awards, agreements and conditions of employment SOPs work instructions oral, written and visual communication quality practices, including responsibility for maintenance of own work quality and contribution to quality improvement of team or section output housekeeping tasks related to environmental protection, waste disposal, pollution control and recycling WHS practices |
Last includesone or more of the following: | slip on court boot sandal inner shoes |
Tools and equipment includeone or more of the following: | knives and cutting tools stamps sewing machines threads needles hand tools machine tools computers mechanical duplicators |
Sectors
Not applicable
Competency Field
Footwear production