The industry today: small workshops, big importance
Where do orthotists work, who needs them, and what does the future look like?
The orthotist profession is about aids that directly intervene in people's bodies and daily lives. Therefore there are both formal requirements for your education and a number of rules on quality, documentation and medical devices that you must know. Here you get an overview.
§Where do you work?
Most orthotists work in orthotic shops and orthotic companies that manufacture and fit prostheses orthotics support corsets insoles and other aids. Some companies supply hospitals and municipalities others have direct customer contact in shop and clinic. You can also encounter the profession in connection with hospital orthopedic departments and in cooperation with physiotherapists and bandagers.
- 01Bandage and Orthopedic Workshops.
- 02Companies that produce prostheses and orthotics.
- 03Suppliers to hospitals and municipalities.
- 04Specialized clinics with direct patient contact.
§What drives the demand?
The need for orthopedic aids is linked to some of the heaviest trends in society. The population is aging, more people live with diabetes and related diseases in the feet, and more survive accidents and serious illness and afterwards need aids to be able to live actively. All of this creates an ongoing need for professionals who can make and fit solutions to the individual body.
§The technology moves the profession
3D scanning, CAD design and CNC milling are moving into workshops alongside classical craftsmanship with plaster, leather and laminating. This does not mean that craftsmanship disappears - on the contrary, you need to master both. The orthotist who masters both digital and manual skills is well positioned in the future job market.
§Job prospects
Because the professional group is small and specialized, and because the need is stable and rather growing than falling, the job prospects are generally good for those who complete the education. The biggest bottleneck is often finding an apprenticeship position to start - not finding a job afterwards.
“A small trade with great meaning: as the population ages your hands will be needed no less.”