Newly-qualified technologist praises SATRA training

Another successful SAFT student has received recognition of his hard work in achieving a high level of shoemaking knowledge.

New SATRA Accredited Footwear Technologist Phillip Cloros is brand manager for Sydney-based Mongrel Boots, while also holding a sales role in the business. The company is a fifth-generation family-owned and operated business that manufactures work boots in the Australian city.

“I’ve been working in the business since I left school in 2010, and studied marketing and international business in the years after high school while I was working in our factory,” Phillip commented. “I was keen to add some sort of footwear education to sit alongside my university degree. Being part of the family that owns the business, it’s essential that I’m equipped with footwear manufacturing knowledge and expertise – like the family members that came before me.

“Since there are no footwear training courses left in Australia like my Dad was able to undertake years ago, the best option was for me to travel to the UK to complete the SAFT course at SATRA. Prior to completing the SAFT course, I already had a solid practical knowledge of footwear manufacturing due to the time I’ve spent working various jobs in our factory, but to be able to bring it all together in a theoretical and logical way like I did during the course has been invaluable.”

According to Phillip, the course taught him many different aspects of shoemaking that he had little experience of, such as pattern cutting, standards testing and fitting. He believes that the intricate knowledge of all the different aspects of footwear and production that he now possesses gives him an edge compared to his counterparts in rival businesses, who have not been trained on such a course.

“I believe that to run a business you need to know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of every job along the line, and what exactly goes into the product that makes it what it is,” he added. “Especially in sales, if you do not know what you’re selling, people won’t have confidence in what you’re telling them.

“The knowledge I now have – not just about our boots, but all different types of footwear constructions, fittings, testing methods, materials and quality assurance procedures – allows me to carry out my job and market and sell our product in a more educational and factual way, which gives us a key edge.”

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 6 of the December 2020 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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