Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

ManufacturingO*NET 51-6042.00United States

Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $34,761
Projected change: −2.8%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 3.71K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What shoe machine operators and tenders do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications.
Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles.
Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production.
Select and place spools of thread or pre-wound bobbins into shuttles, or onto spindles or loupers of stitching machines.
Cut excess thread or material from shoe parts, using scissors or knives.
Turn knobs to adjust stitch length and thread tension.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $25,001
25th percentile: $27,938
50th percentile: $34,761
75th percentile: $42,793
90th percentile: $48,663

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $34,761 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

−2.8%projected to decline

20253,714 jobs

2035 projected3,611 jobs

103 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 84.4%
Some college: 15.3%
Associate degree: 0.3%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Lifting Ability
Manufacturing Processes
Production Flow Analysis
Development Environment
Cutting Tool (Machining)
Design Specifications
Machine Operation
Staging Area
Knife Sharpening
Machinery
Mechanical Aptitude
Policy Administration
Precision Tools
Product Defect
Quality Management
Safety Standards
Sharpening
Visual Acuity
Calipers
Environment Health And Safety

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

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Top employers

01Lucchese7 postings
02Lucchese Bootmaker5 postings
03Hendrickson2 postings
04Armstrong World Industries1 postings
05Decore-Ative Specialties1 postings
06United Talent Staffing1 postings

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