Had to do this as part of my footwear degree. First year was pretty much learning to pattern cut, grade, make, work in factories and learn how to work with a sample room in a factory. Our end of year exam was to pattern cut every basic style of shoe (about 20 I think, incl. mocassins, sneakers, long leg high heel boots etc) and make and last an upper from the patterns that you had cut.
We learned how to work with last makers, heel makers, tanneries, where to place the pattern pieces on a hide, how to pitch a heel.
We still didn’t learn everything though. Am very envious of friends of mine who have worked at Clarks, because they teach their designers how to fit shoes, which is such a useful skill to have.
But I can’t tell you how much I still lean on this shoemaking knowledge. The ability to be able to go into a factory and examine the paper patterns and adjust them when the rookie pattern cutter has screwed up.