What Do Shoe Machine Operator Do?
Occupation Description Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Shoe Machine Operator Responsibilities
- Load hot-melt plastic rod glue through reactivator axles, using wrenches, and switch on reactivators, setting temperature and timers to heat glue to specifications.
- Fill shuttle spools with thread from a machine’s bobbin winder by pressing a foot treadle.
- Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
- Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
- Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production.
- Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
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Shoe Machine Operator Needed Skills
These are the skills Shoe Machine Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Shoe Machine Operator
- Perforating Machine Operator
- Eyelet Operator
- Flamer
- Goodyear Welter
- Die Trimmer
What Kind of Shoe Machine Operator Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 3,600 jobs for Shoe Machine Operator in 2016. 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 typical yearly salary for Shoe Machine Operators is somewhere between $19,020 and $40,410.

Shoe Machine Operators who work in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, or Maine, make the highest salaries.
How much do Shoe Machine Operators make in different U.S. states?
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 & Technology 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
How to Become a Shoe Machine Operator
What education is needed to be a Shoe Machine Operator?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Shoe Machine Operators Sector

Shoe Machine Operators work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Shoe Machine Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Shoe Machine Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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