Footwear Hand Lacer and Hand Inter-lacer

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Footwear Hand Lacer and Hand Inter-lacer. A Footwear Hand Lacer and Hand Inter-lacer performs hand lacing operations to assemble and/or decorate footwear uppers and/or to join closed footwear uppers to outer soles, and performs hand-inter lacing operations to assemble and/or decorate footwear uppers. A qualified learner will be able to: • Perform hand lacing operations to assemble footwear upper components. • Perform hand lacing operations to decorate footwear upper components. • Perform hand inter-lacing operations to assemble and decorate footwear upper components.

This qualification is linked to job creation initiatives. The qualifying learner will enter into an agreement with participating employers for the production of hand laced and hand inter-laced footwear products. Based on this agreement, all qualifying learners will be able to source work from employers who produce hand laced and inter-laced footwear. These functions are outsourced by manufacturers. Learners will benefit from this qualification by obtaining skills and competencies which will make them immediately employable. Employers will benefit from this qualification because they will get qualified persons that are work ready. The learner is immediately employable and is also fully equipped to work from home. The learner can be self-employed and so be a contributing member of society and the economy. The learner can enter into contracts with manufacturers to supply them with finished footwear products. The target group for this qualification is any person (literate or illiterate) who is older than 16 years of age and has a certain degree of hand and finger dexterity. The learner can enter into contracts with manufacturers to supply them with finished footwear products. The training will contribute to job creation and employable skills development. It is envisaged that a number of approximately 100 learners will be trained annually.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record. RPL for access to the qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: • Open Access: This qualification does not require any schooling or previous training and is open to anybody who wants to be taught the craft of hand lacing and hand inter-lacing. It has been specifically designed for illiterate people.

• Visually interpret a sample of a completed hand laced product.
• Prepare for hand lacing operations to assemble upper components.
• Use a variety of hand lacing stitch types to join 2 components.
• Inspect finished work for quality.
• Prepare material and equipment to decorate an upper using hand lacing techniques.
• Perform hand lacing stitches to decorate an upper as per the sample.
• Inspect finished work for quality to sample.
• Visually interpret a sample of a completed product for assembling a hand inter-laced upper.
• Prepare for hand inter-lacing operations to assemble upper components.
• Perform hand inter-lacing to assemble an upper according to sample.
• Perform hand inter-lacing to decorate an upper according to sample.