Footwear Production Apprenticeship (15 months)
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Company: Dr Martens
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Location: WELLINGBOROUGH, NN29 7SW
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Type: Apprenticeship
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Salary: £25,920.00 per year
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Sector: Engineering and manufacturing
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Ref: NAS-2000022518
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Application Deadline Date: 30/04/2026
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Start Date: 07/09/2026
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Positions Available: 4
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Working Week: Monday - Thursday, 7.00am- 4.00pm and Friday, 7.00am- 12.00pm (Breaks to be confirmed).
Brief Description
Ever wondered how our iconic products are made? Now’s your chance to find out! Learn footwear production from start to finish, including the unique Dr Martens manufacturing process. Along the way, you will have the chance to learn job-specific skills whilst earning a wage, with time to study and further your development.
Training to be Provided
The apprenticeship runs for 15 months in our Made in England factory. You will learn everything to do with Dr. Martens footwear manufacturing as well as aspects such as the tanning process, sizing, other footwear constructions and health and safety.
We are closely connected with Northampton College, where you will study and learn throughout the year, as well as with other companies in the footwear industry around Northamptonshire.
Your study programme will require you to attend Northampton College two days per month.
What else?
As our Footwear Apprentice, you will:
- Work hands-on with our product from day one, learning real skills whilst getting paid
- Be a Dr. Martens brand ambassador, knowledgeable about the history of footwear and the iconic brand
- Take an active role in social media, helping to run the Apprenticeship Instagram account and growing our followers
- Learn various elements of footwear construction- the tanning process, leather inspection and quality control
- Create your very own custom pair of DMs as part of your final project
Following successful completion of your Apprenticeship, you’ll receive a government accredited qualification in Footwear Manufacturing - Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Footwear.
Future Prospects
- For graduate apprentices, there's the potential for a permanent position in the factory, where you will develop and hone your craft while continuing to learn new skills alongside former apprentices
Vacancy Detail
Footwear manufacturing is highly skilled work. As a Dr. Martens apprentice, you will be working alongside the production team at our Made in England Factory, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, where our iconic 1460 boot was born. Surrounded by our footwear production experts, you’ll learn in a supportive and collaborative fast-paced environment, integrating traditional hands-on skills with innovative manufacturing technology. You will learn the footwear production process from start to finish.
Daily activities will include gaining experience in the following areas:
- Clicking: operating cutting presses to specified quality standards, minimising wastage of skins and using innovative leather scanning and digital cutting technology
- Closing: creating Dr. Martens uppers using a variety of sewing machines and other specialist machinery
- Lasting: shaping the shoe around a last and attaching the sole to our famous yellow stitched welt
- Shoe room: adding the final touches- lacing, cleaning, and boxing ready for dispatch
Other Information
Our apprentices are brand ambassadors, involved in the running of the Dr Martens Apprenticeship Instagram account: drmartens_apprenticeship.
Health Surveillance at Our UK Manufacturing Site
In line with UK health and safety legislation and our commitment to employee wellbeing, we conduct health surveillance for roles at our Made in England Factory (MIE).
Health surveillance is a legal requirement where employees may be exposed to specific risks. It helps ensure early detection of work-related ill health, supports vulnerable employees, and evaluates the effectiveness of control measures.
As part of this process, we will carry out an initial health check at the offer stage (or within the first six weeks of employment) and continue with periodic health assessments thereafter.