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Footwear Production Apprenticeship (register your interest)
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About the Role
Learn footwear production from start to finish, including the unique Dr Martens manufacturing process. Along the way, you will have the chance to learn job-specific skills whilst earning a wage, with time to study and further your development.
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Footwear manufacturing is highly skilled work. As a Dr. Martens apprentice, you will be working alongside the production team at our Made in England Factory, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, where our iconic 1460 boot was born. Surrounded by our footwear production experts, you’ll learn in a supportive and collaborative fast-paced environment, integrating traditional hands-on skills with innovative manufacturing technology. You will learn the footwear production process from start to finish. Daily activities will include gaining experience in the following areas:
- Clicking: operating cutting presses to specified quality standards, minimising wastage of skins and using innovative leather scanning and digital cutting technology
- Closing: creating Dr. Martens uppers using a variety of sewing machines and other specialist machinery
- Lasting: shaping the shoe around a last and attaching the sole to our famous yellow stitched welt
- Shoe room: adding the final touches- lacing, cleaning, and boxing ready for dispatch
Where you'll work
Airwair International Ltd
Cobbs Lane
Wollaston
WELLINGBOROUGH
NN29 7SW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NORTHAMPTON COLLEGE
Training course
Footwear manufacturer (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Read and interpret information. For example, specifications, manuals, production plans, handover notes.
- Organise own work.
- Follow health, safety, and environmental procedures in line with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Apply sustainability principles. For example, minimise energy usage, minimise waste, and recycle materials.
- Follow operating procedures.
- Identify and check resources. For example, material and components.
- Select, check, and set up tools and equipment.
- Use and operate tools and equipment to conduct footwear manufacturing processes. For example, cutting, skiving, lasting, stitching, forming, attaching, and finishing.
- Apply footwear manufacturing processes.
- Store tools and equipment.
- Conduct in-process production quality checks.
- Follow post-production procedure. For example, label and package.
- Monitor own performance data.
- Collect and record information.
- Identify and segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Follow basic maintenance procedures. For example, clean, oil, and lubricate machinery.
- Identify and resolve common faults and issues.
- Escalate issues.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Use information technology and digital systems. Comply with cyber security and GDPR.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate with others using footwear terminology. For example, colleagues, customers, and managers.
- Complete and record learning and development activities.
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Training schedule
The apprenticeship runs for 15 months in our Made in England factory. You will learn everything to do with Dr. Martens footwear manufacturing as well as aspects such as the tanning process, sizing, other footwear constructions and health and safety.
We are closely connected with Northampton College, where you will study and learn throughout the year, as well as with other companies in the footwear industry around Northamptonshire.
Your study programme will require you to attend Northampton College two days per month.
What else?
As our Footwear Apprentice, you will:
- Work hands-on with our product from day one, learning real skills whilst getting paid
- Be a Dr. Martens brand ambassador, knowledgeable about the history of footwear and the iconic brand
- Take an active role in social media, helping to run the Apprenticeship Instagram account and growing our followers
- Learn various elements of footwear construction- the tanning process, leather inspection and quality control
- Create your very own custom pair of DMs as part of your final project
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Following successful completion of your Apprenticeship, you’ll receive a government accredited qualification in Footwear Manufacturing - Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Footwear.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
- GCSE in:
- Maths and English (grade 4 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Eye for detail
- Good communicator
- Problem solving
Other requirements
Our apprentices are brand ambassadors, involved in the running of the Dr Martens Apprenticeship.
Instagram account: drmartens_apprenticeship.
About this employer
Dr. Martens have always stood with those who dare to be different. We have the respect of big-name fashion giants – think Rick Owens and Comme des Garcons – enabling us to engage in exciting partnerships season after season. We want to mean something to everyone who laces up our boots: from the first timers to the Docs veterans. We need authentic people, who act courageously and show they care.
http://www.drmartens.com (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab). For graduate apprentices, there's the potential for a permanent position in the factory, where you will develop and hone your craft while continuing to learn new skills alongside former apprentices.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NORTHAMPTON COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000029280.
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