Dave Dolph of Oboz Footwear returned to USU’s Logan campus to share his experience and knowledge about footwear with the OPDD program, this time hosting a smaller workshop called “Shoe 101”. The workshop of about 10 students spent close to 4 hours discussing in depth footwear as a product and the opportunities for students.

Over the course of the workshop, Dolph spoke to the anatomy of footwear as well as construction, footwear supply chains, and  footwear from a high-level industry perspective.

Focused workshops and courses like this provide students  in the OPDD program  unique opportunities to dive deeper into a discipline and truly gain an advantage when going on to look for full-time work. OPDD provides one of very few opportunities for students to learn about footwear design, which is an interesting product to create and requires a unique skillset.

It’s through workshops and courses taught by industry professionals like Dolph that students in the OPDD program are setting themselves apart and preparing for real-world positions in a dynamic industry.

Industry collaborations made possible through the Manufacturing and Outdoor Products Support Hub, a partnership between Utah Manufacturing Extension Service and Outdoor Product Design & Development.