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How exposed to AI is a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairer?

Of the 27 tasks O*NET lists for shoe and leather workers and repairers, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 23 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Boot MakerCobblerLeather WorkerSaddle and Harness MakerShoe CutterShoe MakerShoe RepairerShoe RepairmanStitcher
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
27
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 16
6k
people do this job in the US
45 of 107
least protected in production

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

4
  • Estimate the costs of requested products or services such as custom footwear or footwear repair, and receive payment from customers
  • Draw patterns, using measurements, designs, plaster casts, or customer specifications, and position or outline patterns on work pieces
  • Select materials and patterns, and trace patterns onto materials to be cut out
  • Measure customers for fit, and discuss with them the type of footwear to be made, recommending details such as leather quality

Cannot be sped up

23
  • Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes
  • Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses
  • Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets
  • Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves
  • Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts
  • Inspect articles for defects, and remove damaged or worn parts, using hand tools
  • Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles
  • Prepare inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet
  • Dress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape
  • Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles
  • Clean and polish shoes
  • Cement, nail, or sew soles and heels to shoes
  • Check the texture, color, and strength of leather to ensure that it is adequate for a particular purpose
  • Shape shoe heels with a knife, and sand them on a buffing wheel for smoothness
  • Place shoes on lasts to remove soles and heels, using knives or pliers
  • Repair or replace soles, heels, and other parts of footwear, using sewing, buffing and other shoe repair machines, materials, and equipment
  • Cut, insert, position, and secure paddings, cushioning, or linings, using stitches or glue
  • Nail heel and toe cleats onto shoes
  • Re-sew seams, and replace handles and linings of suitcases or handbags
  • Stretch shoes, dampening parts and inserting and twisting parts, using an adjustable stretcher
  • Read prescriptions or specifications, and take measurements to establish the type of product to be made, using calipers, tape measures, or rules
  • Attach accessories or ornamentation to decorate or protect products
  • Make, modify, and repair orthopedic or therapeutic footwear according to doctors' prescriptions, or modify existing footwear for people with foot problems and special needs
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.