footwear quality controller
Footwear quality controllers perform visual analysis of the aspects of footwear, raw material and components applying criteria previously defined and decide on rejections or acceptances. They analyse collected data, prepare reports and deliver them to quality management. They apply previously defined quality management tools aiming at achievement of the objectives stated in the quality policy. They participate in monitoring and control of the quality system and in the implementation of corrective and preventive measures.
footwear quality controller footwear quality controllers perform visual analysis of the aspects of footwear, raw material and components applying criteria previously defined and decide on rejections or acceptances. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include footwear materials, footwear manufacturing technology, footwear quality, footwear components, apply footwear and leather goods quality control techniques.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £34,360 a year for Routine inspectors and testers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £28,338 to £43,307 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8143). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only footwear quality controller, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- Engineering and Technology
What you'd actually do
- Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
- Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
- Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
- Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
- Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
- Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does footwear quality controller do?
Footwear quality controllers perform visual analysis of the aspects of footwear, raw material and components applying criteria previously defined and decide on rejections or acceptances. They analyse collected data, prepare reports and deliver them to quality management. They apply previously defined quality management tools aiming at achievement of the objectives stated in the quality policy.
What skills does footwear quality controller need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include footwear materials, footwear manufacturing technology, footwear quality, footwear components, apply footwear and leather goods quality control techniques, communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace footwear quality controller?
Our AI-durability model gives footwear quality controller a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.