What do they do?

A shoe technologist not only designs a footwear product as per fashion trends but also decides the kind of material that has to be used for the product. A technologist also uses the requisite technical know-how to enhance the performance of the footwear. 

The job of a shoe technologist involves spending a lot of time with designers and engineers, reviewing product designs and testing results. He also does a lot of research outside the footwear industry in generating new concepts.

Skills Needed

•  A strong passion for sports in general and athletic shoes in particular is very important
•  Identifying opportunities (and these often come disguised as problems) is important as well
•  The tenacity of being a good problem solver (engineering methods help here) is critical because your first solution is rarely the correct one

How do I get there?

To start with, there are a lot of blogs and websites dedicated to the shoe industry. For a two-year PG diploma in management - footwear technology (PGDM-FT) from the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), graduation in any stream is a must. Admission is through an all-India entrance exam.