Occupation Details
Sewing Machine Operators
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$29,370.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$36,140.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$40,390.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
7,630
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
7,010
+-62 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
766
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
-0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Quick Start - High school or less
Experience Requirements
Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
Education Requirements
Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include food preparation workers, dishwashers, floor sanders and finishers, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, logging equipment operators, and baristas.
School Programs
School Programs information is not available for this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Ball point bodkins
- Bobbins
- Buttonhole makers
- Clothes pressing irons
- Cutting pads
- Double needle sewing machines
- Drawstring threaders
- Fur sewing machines
- Hand sanding blocks
- Hoop frames
- Measuring tapes
- Multi-needle sewing machines
- Pattern plates
- Portable electric fabric cutters
- Programmable sewing machines
- Quilting rulers
- Rotary fabric cutters
- Scissors
- Seam rippers
- Seam rolls
- Sergers
- Serrated pattern tracing wheels
- Sewing awls
- Sewing clamps
- Sewing machine needles
- Single needle sewing machines
- Spindles
- Stitch bonders
- Straight pins
- Tackers
Technology
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Word
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain production or work records
- adjust production equipment/machinery setup
- clean equipment or machinery
- install equipment or attachments on machinery or related structures
- monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
- read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
- use portable electric fabric cutter
- operate sewing machine
- use hand or power tools
- maintain consistent production quality
- perform safety inspections in manufacturing or industrial setting
- examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
- cut or trim fabric or leather
- sew by hand
- repair tears or defects in fabrics, garments, or leather products
- load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
- Cut materials according to specifications, using blades, scissors, or electric knives.
- Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
- Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
- Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
- Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.
- Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
- Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
- Cut excess material or thread from finished products.
- Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.
- Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers.
- Start and operate or tend machines, such as single or double needle serging and flat-bed felling machines, to automatically join, reinforce, or decorate material or articles.
- Inspect garments, and examine repair tags and markings on garments to locate defects or damage, and mark errors as necessary.
- Record quantities of materials processed.
- Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance.
- Attach buttons, hooks, zippers, fasteners, or other accessories to fabric, using feeding hoppers or clamp holders.
- Repair or alter items by adding replacement parts or missing stitches.
- Attach tape, trim, appliques, or elastic to specified garments or garment parts, according to item specifications.
- Position material or articles in clamps, templates, or hoop frames prior to automatic operation of machines.
- Perform equipment maintenance tasks such as replacing needles, sanding rough areas of needles, or cleaning and oiling sewing machines.
- Draw markings or pin appliques on fabric to obtain variations in design.
- Tape or twist together thread or cord to repair breaks.
- Baste edges of material to align and temporarily secure parts for final assembly.
- Position and mark patterns on materials to prepare for sewing.
- Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications.
- Perform specialized or automatic sewing machine functions, such as buttonhole making or tacking.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Textile, apparel, and furnishings occupations
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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