Overview
All Sewing Machinists
-
$865 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
-
10,500 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
57% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
41 hours Average full-time
-
52 years Average age
-
82% female Gender Share
Sewing Machinists operate industrial sewing machines to sew and finish garments and soft furnishings such as curtains.
Specialisations: Embroiderer.
You can work as a Sewing Machinist without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A certificate II in clothing production or applied fashion design might be helpful.
Tasks
- threading machines, inserting bobbins and positioning parts to be sewn
- starting, stopping and controlling speed of machines with pedals and knee levers to coordinate actions of presser feet, clothes guides, blades and other attachments, and guiding parts under needles, following edges, seams and markings
- changing needles and adjusting, securing and modifying attachments to machines
- finishing items by cutting excess material and threads
- operating thread trimming and other non-sewing machines
- inspecting stitching for defects and notifying repair mechanics of machine malfunctions
- performing basic maintenance such as lubrication of machines
- may do laying up and bundling tasks
- may ticket, label and finish work
Prospects
There were 10,500 Sewing Machinists in 2020. The number of workers:
- grew very strongly over the past 5 years
- is expected to stay about the same over the next five years
- is likely to reach 10,300 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment Snapshot
- Size: This is a medium sized occupation.
- Location: Sewing Machinists work in many parts of Australia. Victoria has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Manufacturing; Retail Trade; and Other Services.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $865 per week (lower than the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: More than half work full-time (57%, similar to the average of 66%), but there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 41 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 52 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (73%).
- Gender: 82% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Pathways
You can work as a Sewing Machinist without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A certificate II in clothing production or applied fashion design might be helpful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Textiles, Clothing & Footwear VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Sewing Machinists who are hardworking, can work well with others and are reliable.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
Foreign language
Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Rate control
Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Reaction time
Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.
-
Visualization
Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Perceptual speed
Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Coaching and developing others
Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts
Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6031.00 - Sewing Machine Operators.
Work Environment
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Spend time sitting
Spend time sitting at work.
-
Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Competition
Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Angry or unpleasant people
Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
-
Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6031.00 - Sewing Machine Operators.
All Sewing Machinists
-
$865 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
-
10,500 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
57% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
41 hours Average full-time
-
52 years Average age
-
82% female Gender Share
Sewing Machinists operate industrial sewing machines to sew and finish garments and soft furnishings such as curtains.
Specialisations: Embroiderer.
You can work as a Sewing Machinist without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A certificate II in clothing production or applied fashion design might be helpful.
Tasks
- threading machines, inserting bobbins and positioning parts to be sewn
- starting, stopping and controlling speed of machines with pedals and knee levers to coordinate actions of presser feet, clothes guides, blades and other attachments, and guiding parts under needles, following edges, seams and markings
- changing needles and adjusting, securing and modifying attachments to machines
- finishing items by cutting excess material and threads
- operating thread trimming and other non-sewing machines
- inspecting stitching for defects and notifying repair mechanics of machine malfunctions
- performing basic maintenance such as lubrication of machines
- may do laying up and bundling tasks
- may ticket, label and finish work
There were 10,500 Sewing Machinists in 2020. The number of workers:
- grew very strongly over the past 5 years
- is expected to stay about the same over the next five years
- is likely to reach 10,300 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment Snapshot
- Size: This is a medium sized occupation.
- Location: Sewing Machinists work in many parts of Australia. Victoria has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Manufacturing; Retail Trade; and Other Services.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $865 per week (lower than the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: More than half work full-time (57%, similar to the average of 66%), but there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 41 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 52 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (73%).
- Gender: 82% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
You can work as a Sewing Machinist without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A certificate II in clothing production or applied fashion design might be helpful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Textiles, Clothing & Footwear VET training pathways.
Employers look for Sewing Machinists who are hardworking, can work well with others and are reliable.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
Foreign language
Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Rate control
Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Reaction time
Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.
-
Visualization
Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Perceptual speed
Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Coaching and developing others
Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts
Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6031.00 - Sewing Machine Operators.
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Spend time sitting
Spend time sitting at work.
-
Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Competition
Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
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Angry or unpleasant people
Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
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Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
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Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6031.00 - Sewing Machine Operators.