Job description Sewing Machine Operator in the North Coast Region

Find out what work is like for a sewing machine operator in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Industrial sewing machine operators (NOC 94132).

Industrial sewing machine operators

Description

Industrial sewing machine operators operate sewing machines to sew fabric, fur, leather or synthetic materials to produce or repair garments and other articles. They are employed in clothing, footwear, textile products, fur products and other manufacturing establishments and by furriers.

Work week duration

Industrial sewing machine operators usually work between 35 to 40 hours per week.
Between 35 to 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Industrial sewing machine operators have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Assemble pieces of garments by matching patterns and dye lots
  • Operate single, double or multi-needle serging, flat bed felling, banding and other sewing machines, to join sections of garments or other articles into finished products on a piece-work or production basis
  • Operate fur sewing machines to join fur pelt strips to required size and shape and join pelts into garment sections or shells
  • Operate stitching machines to sew leather parts together for leather garments, handbags, shoes and other leather articles
  • Operate serging machines to sew and overcast edges of material simultaneously
  • Operate tackers, pocketsetters, buttonhole makers and fusing, hemmer and other machines to perform various operations in the fabrication of garments and other articles
  • Examine garments and operate sewing machines, sergers and other machines to repair garments and other articles during the manufacturing process
  • Complete production reports
  • May perform minor maintenance and repairs on sewing machine.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Handling material manually
  • Sitting
  • Making repetitive motions
  • Bending or twisting the body

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Industrial sewing machine operators are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Clothing manufacturing companies
  • Fur products manufacturing companies
  • Textile and leather products manufacturing companies
  • Furriers
  • Footwear manufacturing companies

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Sound and noise
  • Specialized safety equipment
  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Indoors, not environmentally controlled
  • Hazardous equipment, machinery, tools
  • Standard safety equipment

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 94132), and a list of similar occupations:

  • fur sewing machine operator
  • leather products sewing machine operator
  • lining stitcher
  • sample sewer
  • serging machine operator
  • sewing machine operator
  • shoe sewer

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Industrial sewing machine operators in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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