Cobblers

Cobblers are trained for six years, with each year being equal parts practical exercise at a master cobblers shop and scholarly education at a wide variety of institutes (usually depending on the local circumstances and availability)

Larger cities have dedicated trade schools that take care of the formal education in combined classes, while also ensuring that the practical tutoring is of satisfactory quality.

Any person wanting to become a Cobbler can apply at a local master cobbler or join a cobblers school.

After six years of training, two final tests will assess the practical skills and theoretical knowledge of a soon-to-be Cobbler.

Should a pupil not be able to complete one of the tests to satisfaction, there are other specializations a person can pursue.

If you baked a cake and dropped it before getting to your partners place, you wouldn't throw away the whole cake! You'd just remove the dirty half and eat the rest.
Not every pupil is equal, why kick out a genius salve maker or virtuoso bandagist from the trade just because they have no talent in their respective other branch?

— Sorman Quick, Master of Master Cobblers, Guild House Brossal

While both tests need to be attempted, afterwards, even those that exceeded expectations in both, usually choose to specialize in a direction best suited to their preferences or abilities.

It isn't uncommon to have multiple Cobblers join under one Roof, with different persons taking responsibility over a singular aspect of the trade.

Shoes and Footwear in general were one of the first Goods to be created by Factories and Manufactories. Buying Shoes from Cobblers wasn't a financially viable option for most anymore.

However, as those mass-produced shoes never fit quite right, many, especially those without the financial means to order custom-made footwear from the get go, regularly visit Cobblers to fit them properly.

A Cobbler has to go with the Times. Shoe designs do change, and so must we. In olden times you'd make your Emporikes by selling complete shoes, now we are service providers, fitting shoes, repairing soles. The money is the same, just the source is different.

— Sorman Quick, Master of Master Cobblers, Guild House Brossal

A good Cobbler can make about 13,000 Emporikes a Week, which is roughly equivalent to an average monthly income. After expenses paid, being a Cobbler for most is a calling than a profitable way of making money.

As Cobblers are neither really artisans and also not really medical personnel, they share a strange existence shadowed by both.

While the list of famous Cobblers is a short one, becoming one opens many doors that are locked for many.

Everyone, be it a Queen or a Farmhand, needs footwear, and if you are the lucky one to be around when they look for one, it's an easy way to mingle far beyond your usual station.

Historically, becoming a Cobbler was a Trade favored by the Elves as early footwear was made from woven plants and twines, a welcome trading good especially with the Dwarves who used them as protection in their Mines.

Even today, most Master Cobblers are Elves for no particularly reason as that it was once common to be one.

Beside the obvious making, fixing, adapting, and repairing of all types of footwear, Cobblers also provide medical services mostly centered around the locomotion system.

You'd visit one to see why your feet are always blistering, get a salve to ease the pain and have the high spot in the sole fixed, while shopping for warm socks that fit perfectly in winter.