Canvas and Leather Goods Makers

ANZSCO ID 3931

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
2,600
Future Growth
-9%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
66%
Female Share
23%
Average age
49

Summary

Canvas and Leather Goods Makers make and repair boots, shoes, leather goods, canvas and sailcloth articles, and related products.

Tasks

  • cutting and preparing canvas, leather and sailcloth to design specifications, patterns and drawings

  • sewing, gluing and riveting sections of canvas together to make articles such as awnings, tents, tarpaulins and horse rugs

  • attaching grommets, fastenings and other fittings to canvas goods

  • joining parts of leather articles using rivets, hand sewing, sewing machines, tools and adhesive

  • restoring and repairing leather articles

  • fabricating sails

  • designing patterns and prototypes of boots and shoes

  • making and grading patterns using manual and computerised methods

  • clicking synthetics, corrected grains, leather linings and leather outers by hand and machine

  • altering and repairing footwear

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Creative
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to decline
  • is likely to reach 1,500 by 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
-9%
(or -200 jobs)
From
1,700
in 2021
To
1,500
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 2,300
2012 2,700
2013 2,900
2014 3,900
2015 700
2016 1,200
2017 2,400
2018 3,500
2019 900
2020 2,000
2021 1,700
2026 1,500

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 73% of people employed as Canvas and Leather Goods Makers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 7 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 45 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
50.0%
2
Other Services
43.8%
3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
6.3%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

30.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

22.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

22.4% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

10.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.4% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.3% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.8% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Canvas and Leather Goods Makers All Jobs Average
NSW 30.7 31.6
VIC 22.0 25.6
QLD 22.4 20.0
SA 10.7 7.0
WA 10.4 10.8
TAS 2.3 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 0.8 1.9


  • Around 45% of Canvas and Leather Goods Makers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    South Australia has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The region with the largest share of workers is Moreton Bay - North.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
49
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
23%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Canvas and Leather Goods Makers is 49 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 23% of the workforce. This is 25 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Canvas and Leather Goods Makers All Jobs Average
15-19 2.1 5.0
20-24 6.0 9.3
25-34 14.3 22.9
35-44 15.5 22.0
45-54 28.7 21.6
55-59 13.7 9.0
60-64 9.6 6.0
65 and Over 10.0 4.2
Median Age 49 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Canvas or Leather Goods Maker. Some workers have a certificate II or III in textile fabrication, leather production or footwear production.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Textiles, Clothing & Footwear VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Canvas and Leather Goods Makers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.7 10.1
Bachelor degree 6.0 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 6.0 11.6
Certificate III/IV 34.1 21.1
Year 12 19.8 18.1
Year 11 7.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 26.3 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Canvas and Leather Goods Makers who are hardworking, reliable and work well in a team.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 37%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 36%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 34%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 34%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 34%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 32%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 32%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 32%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 32%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 32%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 30%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 30%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 30%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 29%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 25%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 25%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 23%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 21%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 20%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 39%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 37%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 36%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 32%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 30%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 29%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 28%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 24%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 23%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 23%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 21%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 19%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 18%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 18%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 17%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 17%

    Foreign language

    Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 13%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 13%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 4%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 46%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 43%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 43%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 41%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 39%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 38%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 38%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 38%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 38%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 36%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 36%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 36%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 36%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 34%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 34%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 34%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 34%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 34%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 32%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 60%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 42%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 41%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 38%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 36%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 35%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 35%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 35%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 31%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 29%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 29%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 29%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 28%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 27%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 25%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 25%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 23%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 22%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 21%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 19%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 67%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 57%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 24%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 24%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 48%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 38%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 38%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 38%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 33%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 24%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 93%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 90%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 89%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 88%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 87%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 83%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 81%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 79%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 74%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 68%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 68%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 68%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 68%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 65%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 64%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 62%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 61%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 57%

    Dangerous conditions

    Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.

  • 57%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 56%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6041.00 - Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers.


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