Occupation Profile

Sewing Machine Operators

(SOC Code : 51-6031)

in California

Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Moderate-term on-the-job training (1-12 months) .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$10.43	$8.84	$9.38	$11.29

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	36,100	30,100	-6,000	-16.6	190

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing

745

56.2%

Textile Product Mills

1,444

9.1%

Accessories and Other Apparel Mfg

405

3.0%

Household and Institutional Furniture

2,881

2.3%

Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing

6,864

1.9%

Apparel Knitting Mills

1.7%

Apparel/Piece Goods Merchant Wholesalers

3,358

1.6%

Medical Equipment and Supplies Mfg

3,367

1.1%

Management of Companies and Enterprises

914

1.1%

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Data for Training Programs not available.

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About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.

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.

Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.

Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.

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.

Record quantities of materials processed.

Inspect garments, and examine repair tags and markings on garments to locate defects or damage, and mark errors as necessary.

Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications.

Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Time Management - Managing one`s own time and the time of others.

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.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

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Data for Tasks not available.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

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.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

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.

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