Footwear designer

You could create exclusive 'one off' haute couture designs or ready-to-wear, high street pieces. You will typically:

• research design ideas, materials and fashion trends
•  use computer aided design (CAD) and traditional hand-drawing techniques
•  create your own original designs or adapt existing ones
•  oversee the development of product samples and prototypes
•  present your ideas to the design team
•  be aware of costs and timescales for production
•  develop technical specifications to help the manufacturer produce your design
•  check the quality of finished products and suggest design changes when there are problems

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• design skills and knowledge
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• the ability to use your initiative
• knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
• to be flexible and open to change
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role

With experience within a company, you could progress to senior designer, design director or head of department.

You could also become a freelance designer, employed by companies to work on specific projects, or become self-employed and launch your own collection.