Shoe Machine Operator

Explore This Path

Ideal for those who love hands-on work and crafting quality footwear.
Ensure shoes meet high standards, impacting fashion and comfort globally.
Unique role in blending creativity with precision in shoe manufacturing.

💰 Earn $38K-$46K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 6–12 MONTH TRAINING

📈 -13.6% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

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

Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
Cut excess thread or material from shoe parts, using scissors or knives.
Turn screws to regulate size of staples.

Scoop

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or GED

Career Prospects

Risky (Decreasing by 5% or more)

Training Time

6 months to 1 year

Job Openings

500 Annually

Median Earnings

$43,450 in California

$36,970 Nationally

$25K

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Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Operation and Control
Operations Monitoring
Reading Comprehension

You value 🙏

Accomplishing things
Having support
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Shoe Machine Operator

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Workforce Development Program

A workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-5 years

Strategic Employment

Strategic employment provides individuals with valuable work experience, opportunities for professional growth and networking, and exposure to an industry where they may want to pursue advancement.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 1-3 years