{{{{ The American Leather Chemists Association }}}}

Leather Technology Correspondence Course
The Leather Technology Correspondence Course is a learning program offered by the American Leather Chemists Association. It is an independent study course to be completed at work or at home. The intention of the Course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the principles of leather manufacture. It can also be used by more experienced individuals for a review of leather science and to promote technical discourse within the tannery.

For the registration fee, the student receives several books about leather tanning and the Course Supplement booklet. The Supplement contains additional information and 20 assignments that the student will be expected to complete within two years. In order to receive a certificate for completing the Course, students will be required to take examinations after the 10th and 20th assignments. The examinations are forwarded separately by the ALCA office once the required assignments have been completed.

Many students complete the Correspondence Course as part of a structured education program at a tannery or place of work. These students must work closely with their supervisors and adhere to the rules set by their own organizations for taking the Course. Independent students who are not part of a structured program should complete the assignments and examinations under their own supervision.

The topics covered in the 2002 edition of the Leather Technology Correspondence Course are as follows:

> Raw Material for Leather Manufacture
> Retanning
> Preservation of Hides and Skins
> Anionic and Cationic Compounds
> Histology: The Structure of Skin
> Coloring
> Chemistry Review
> Fatliquoring
> The Beamhouse - Soaking through Bating
> Mechanical Processes Prior to Finishing
> The Beamhouse - Delime, Bate, and Pickle
> Finishing Materials
> Chrome Tanning
> Application of Finish
> Vegetable Tanning
> Quality Control in the Tannery
> Other Tanning Materials
> Physical Properties of Leather
> Mechanical Processes after Tanning
> Effluent Treatment

The Course textbooks include the latest editions of the Leather Technician's Handbook by J.H. Sharphouse, and Practical Leather Technology by T.C. Thorstensen.