Introduction

Leather industry is the 4th largest export earner in India and we seem to be putting our best foot forward in the footwear and leather industry. The last decade has been very good for fashion and hence for the footwear industry.

To this add the burgeoning demand and awareness in the domestic market as well and you have a very lucrative industry waiting for you: the leather and footwear industry of India. The popularity of this field among job seekers and a dearth of skilled technicians who can handle world class machinery have led to an increased demand for formal training in leather technology and footwear design. As a result, there are dozens of institutes which now offer certificates and diploma courses in footwear designing and production as well as in leather technology.


Career Options

Leather technologists in general and footwear designers have a lot of options to choose from: 

• The biggest employers of leather technologists are tanning and finishing units most of which are located in Ambur, Chennai, Kanpur, Ranipet, Vaniyambadi, Kanpur, Karnal, Agra, Jalandhar, in and around Hyderabad, Dewas (Madhya Pradesh), Kolkata, in and around Mumbai, and Kolhapur (Maharashtra).
• The next big and increasingly lucrative options are leather goods, shoes and leather garment companies.
• Footwear designers are hired by the dozen by fashion houses and designers. Big names from the fashion fraternity are often known for taking budding designers under their tutelage.
• A small percentage of leather technologists work in leather chemicals companies which require technical professionals for marketing.
• Leather buying houses and inspection agencies, too, employ them for their domain knowledge.
• There are also jobs for leather technologists in international testing agencies such as Societe Generale de Surveillance and TUV Rheinland which have their offices in India.
• Teaching is another avenue that can be explored.
• Footwear designers and leather technicians also have the option of starting their own business: setting up their own production and design units.

Career Prospects

At a 10% annual growth, the footwear industry employs more than a million people and these numbers are only set to increase exponentially. If you are armed with the right set of skills- creative and technical with formal training from a recognized institute, you will be snapped up as a designer- technical or stylist by footwear houses which abound in India.

What’s more encouraging to aspiring footwear designers is that many international brands are shifting their sourcing and manufacturing base to India. In fact India allows a 100% FDI investment in this sector. This will translate into brilliant career opportunities in the designing and technical areas. Apart from that, Indian leather goods brands have started paying more attention to details and the finishing resulting in an end product that can match any global brand. The Indian leather industry is thus slowly transforming from just a raw materials provider to goods manufacturer. Professional designers and technical experts are therefore in much demand in the industry in the current scenario.

Designers now work with footwear companies as technical designers and stylist designers. While technical designers handle pattern making, cutting, designing etc, stylist designers keep a tab on changing styles in fashion and conceptualise a marketable product. Designers are also being hired by the dozen by leather garment production houses and boutiques. Established designers also take in young and fresh out of college designers to work under them as apprentices.

After having gained enough experience and exposure to the industry, one can spread their wings and venture out on their own with maybe a unit for production and marketing of leather based products. A good business plan coupled with innovative designs and quality products will ensure success in this industry.



How do I get there?

As long as you have a passion for footwear designing and the required set of skills you need not fulfill any eligibility criteria except to clear your XIIth. You will be eligible for most of the bachelor’s level courses available in footwear technology and leather technology. If you want to go for a post graduate diploma in Leather Processing in certain institutes like Central Footwear Training Institute, Chennai you need to have at least 55% in Bachelor's degree in Science with Chemistry as one of the subjects.


Payoff

Since this industry is private sector dominated, the pay is usually good. Foreign players in the business mean better money too. Depending on the course you have done and the kind of firm that hires you, your pay would differ at the starting level. A fresher can easily earn anywhere between Rs 15000 – Rs 25000. Further growth in this industry is purely performance driven and would take a lot of hard work and creative/technical skills to see you rising through the ranks.


Skills

• Creativity is a must for designers.
• So are technical skills and computer knowledge (CAD / CAM is a good course in footwear design).
• Innovative and a unique style of thinking are added advantages.
• Dexterity, hard work and dedication are key requirements if you will be in the manufacturing segment. 
• Those in the marketing segment should have a finger on the pulse of the market and should also be clued into the changing trends on the international footwear scene.

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