All About Shoe Machine Operators
Example of Shoe Machine Operator Job Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Life As a Shoe Machine Operator
- Turn setscrews on needle bars, and position required numbers of needles in stitching machines.
- 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.
- Turn knobs to adjust stitch length and thread tension.
- Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
- Hammer loose staples for proper attachment.
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Shoe Machine Operator Skills
When polled, Shoe Machine Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Related Job Titles
- Shoe Lining Fitter
- Channeling Machine Operator
- Manufacturing Associate
- Die Out Worker
- Heel Pricker
Job Opportunities for Shoe Machine Operators
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 3,600 jobs in the United States for Shoe Machine Operator. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Shoe Machine Operator. There will be an estimated 400 positions for Shoe Machine Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Shoe Machine Operator are Illinois, Oregon, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Oregon, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Shoe Machine Operator Salary
The salary for Shoe Machine Operators ranges between about $19,020 and $40,410 a year.

Shoe Machine Operators who work in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, or Maine, make the highest salaries.
How much do Shoe Machine Operators make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
California | $30,580 |
Florida | $35,140 |
Maine | $32,100 |
Massachusetts | $43,330 |
New York | $26,240 |
Pennsylvania | $25,050 |
Texas | $30,470 |
Washington | $32,060 |
Wisconsin | $32,300 |
What Tools do Shoe Machine Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Shoe Machine Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Data entry software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Inventory tracking software
- Microsoft operating system
- Production control software
Becoming a Shoe Machine Operator
What education is needed to be a Shoe Machine Operator?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Shoe Machine Operator?

Who Employs Shoe Machine Operators?

The table below shows the approximate number of Shoe Machine Operators employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Shoe Machine Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Shoe Machine Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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