Orthopedic shoemakers are responsible for the manufacture of orthopedic footwear , usually making one-off pieces to meet the specific needs of patients. In addition, medical remedies and aids are manufactured. Orthopedic shoemakers can work anywhere where this special footwear is made for customers, for example in specialist companies or in clinics and rehabilitation centers.

Personal requirements at work

The profession of orthopedic shoemaker is a very demanding profession, as manual skills are required for the production of the shoe and it must also be possible to deal well with people. Because we work according to customer requirements and intensive communication with customers is important. In addition to extensive manual skills, the profession of orthopedic shoemaker requires good dealings with people .

Prerequisites for the job / training / studies

In order to do an apprenticeship as an orthopedic shoemaker , various requirements should be met, without which such a profession cannot be practiced. On the one hand, it is important to know that manual skills alone are not sufficient to successfully practice this profession - on the contrary, precise communication with customers is required and, in addition to good dealings with customers, a certain ability to observe is also important so that problems can be identified directly become. In the manual sector, there are various requirements that should be met before starting an apprenticeship. On the one hand, a good spatial imagination and a high level of manual dexterity as well as good hand-eye coordination are absolutely necessary to be able to work really successfully as a shoemaker. But the arithmetic skills should also be strong and a certain drawing talent for making sketches is also important to make the shoes just right. How exactly orthopedic shoes and other medical aids are manufactured is then learned during the training. However, there are also requirements in the school sector, so a secondary school certificate should at least be available for the training. People with an intermediate level of education are often hired. Good knowledge of suitable school subjects increases the likelihood of being accepted into the apprenticeship. These include biology, mathematics and handicrafts or art. In these school subjects, good performance is important in addition to a strong basic understanding, since these skills are required to a large extent for the profession of orthopedic shoemaker.

The training / the qualification

The training as an orthopedic shoemaker lasts 3 ½ years . However, in some cases and with appropriate performance, it is possible to shorten this training period. As with many other training courses, it is a dual training that takes place in the vocational school and in the company. In the company you learn how exactly the shoes and aids are to be made and the theoretical knowledge of the vocational school can be applied. School training includes a high degree of manual skills that are learned. However, biological knowledge is also imparted in order to be able to advise customers and to identify the problems in the first place. After the end of the 2nd year of apprenticeship, an intermediate examination must be taken, which must be successfully passed in order to continue the training. The training ends with the passing of the journeyman's examination.

locations

Because orthopedic shoemakers make shoes and custom-make these medical shoes, the places of use are relatively limited. Most shoemakers work in specialist companies specializing in orthopedic shoemaking, in medical supply stores that have a shoe orthopedic department and in various clinics and rehabilitation facilities . In fact, orthopedic shoemakers can work anywhere orthopedic shoes are made and customers can ask for those shoes.

career development opportunities

In order to further qualify as an orthopedic shoemaker, it is possible to acquire various additional qualifications during the training. In order to advance further after the training, for example, a further training course can be completed. In most cases, this involves further training as a master craftsman or as a technician. However, there is also the possibility of completing a suitable course of study and thus improving your career opportunities. In addition, it is of great importance for orthopedic shoemakers to keep their specialist knowledge up to date and to always be informed about innovations.

The everyday life of the orthopedic shoemaker

The everyday life of the orthopedic shoemaker is determined by the manufacture of the shoes, i.e. by the craftsmanship with all the details. In addition, there is sometimes work in the sales rooms, so that cooperation with customers is also an important part of the work. The manual work makes up a large part of everyday life in this profession, since the pieces have to be created individually with great precision according to exact instructions and the production is very time-consuming depending on the model.

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• Orthohpädieschuhmacher
• Orthopädieschumacher
• orthopädietechniker