We continuously accept applications from sewists and leatherworkers who want to work with us!

As leather sewing is a rare skill, we welcome candidates with transferrable skills to apply. If you have an interest or some experience in leatherwork, sewing, repair, or making things, you’re welcome to apply. Many of the skills needed for sewing (transferring/copying patterns, completing alterations, etc.) directly crossover. If you believe you can do this job but are lacking a few of the skills, apply anyway!

Position Summary:

The majority of this job is completing repairs and alterations on customer items (bag, jacket, accessories). This position does not encompass shoe repair or custom leatherwork. The position may sometimes work on production-line assembly of wholesale items or large orders.
This position can also include answering questions on the phone and handing back finished customer items, as well as possible assistance at community market booths.

Key Responsibilities:

• Use industrial sewing machinery including patchers and walking foot machines, as well as hardware setters (manual and machine).
• Basic customer service including greeting customers at pick up and answering the phone, if willing.
• Completing hole patches, simple re-stitches, zipper replacements, sleeve shortenings, hems, body tapers, and remaking jacket liners.

Skills and Abilities:

• Be willing to ask questions and be ready to learn new ways of doing things
• Able to follow instructions
• Strong attention to detail (with leather, there’s less room for errors!)
• A sense of confidence around repair/making
• Be able to predict potential problems and address/ask about them before they arise
• Be self-directed in completing tasks once training is complete
• Have good time-management skills and ability to maintain workshop rates/quotas
• Treat all fellow employees, clients, tools, and the space with respect
• Clear and direct communication
• Be able to lift full leather suits, be dexterous in your hands, and be able to move a lot
• Displays a sense of urgency in completing tasks and meeting deadlines

Training:

This position comes with a three-month training period in which we will teach you how to safely operate all industrial machinery, tailoring skills, some patterning, and the basics of working with leather. Hourly rates may include a training wage for those with little direct experience.

Hours / Wages:

We usually begin apprentices as part-time, 2-3 days a week. Unless the candidate has industry experience, we usually start at around 1$ above minimum wage, which will increase based on performance reviews and more experience.

We pay a 4% vacation pay per paycheque (not accrued), as well as standard EI, CPP and WorkSafe BC premiums. Pay is on a bi-weekly basis through a payroll company. Tips are distributed after the three-month training period is complete and on average increase the pay by $2-3/ hour. Full-time employees are enrolled in a co-pay health benefits program. In general, we do a yearly raise, during a review, and increases when minimum wage rises.

Health and Safety:

Our workshop requires all staff to wear masks. We encourage employees to be fully vaccinated. Our Covid policy changes as Covid rates and mandates change and we consult with all employees before changing our precautions. You can view our policies in this blog post.
Proper safety equipment is available in the studio including a variety of gloves, eye protection, sounds protection, first aid supplies, anti-fatigue mats, 3M respirators (for redyes), and a contained glue/fume house.

Perks:

• Access to use our machinery/space for personal non-resale projects
• Wholesale access to our suppliers
• Studio time to complete personal projects
• Seasonal team events
• A portion of tips are distributed after the three-month training period is complete.

Inclusive Hiring:

Our workshop is currently staffed entirely by underrepresented individuals in our industry. We are the only female*-owned cobbling shop in Western Canada and the only queer-owned shop in all of Canada. We happily accept applicants from all backgrounds and encourage other under-represented individuals to apply. If you have any accessibility needs, please let us know!
*Ariss is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, but happily defaults to this for the ease of a tagline.
For our full physical accessibility audit, please go here: https://awltogetherleather.ca/accessibility/

To Apply:

Show us what you’ve made! Send your resume, a portfolio of 2-10 completed projects (anything you’ve sewn, fixed, made, or are proud of), and two references to info@awltogetherleather.ca.
If you know your schedule for that week, feel free to let us know.

 

We generally get back to people to set-up an in-person interview or keep your application on file for when we have an opening.

Thank you, Awl Together Leather