Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.
• Brush materials made of suede, leather, or felt to remove spots or to raise and smooth naps.
• Measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.
• Slide material back and forth over heated, metal, ball-shaped forms to smooth and press portions of garments that cannot be satisfactorily pressed with flat pressers or hand irons.
• Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as tape measures and micrometers.
• Spray water over fabric to soften fibers when not using steam irons.
• Finish velvet garments by steaming them on bucks of hot-head presses or steam tables, and brushing pile (nap) with handbrushes.
• Block or shape knitted garments after cleaning.
• Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as tape measures and micrometers.
• Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.
• Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.
• Select appropriate pressing machines, based on garment properties such as heat tolerance.
• Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.
• Sew ends of new material to leaders or to ends of material in pressing machines, using sewing machines.
• Activate and adjust machine controls to regulate temperature and pressure of rollers, ironing shoes, or plates, according to specifications.
• Use covering cloths to prevent equipment from damaging delicate fabrics.
• Measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.
• Position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.
• Moisten materials to soften and smooth them.
• Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
• Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.
• Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
• Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
• Finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high quality finishes.
• Insert heated metal forms into ties and touch up rough places with hand irons.
• Select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.
• Measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.
• Press ties on small pressing machines.
• Clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants.
• Clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants.
• Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
• Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
• Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.
• Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
• Identify and treat spots on garments.
• Position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.

Skills

• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.

Knowledge

• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Education

Education

No formal educational credential

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

Less than 1 month on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

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Education and Training Opportunities

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Pay

Washington Annual Salary

38260/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

18.39/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

590

Yearly Projected Openings

90

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Dependability
• Independence
• Stress Tolerance
• Innovation

Tools

• Adjustable wrenches
• Clothing hangers
• Domestic clothing irons
• Garment brushes
• Hammers
• Hand sprayers
• Hoists
• Ironing boards
• Ironing machines or presses
• Laundry type combined washing or drying machines
• Micrometers
• Personal computers
• Rulers
• Screwdrivers
• Sewing machines
• Shears
• Slip joint pliers
• Steam pressing machines
• Straight edges
• Tape measures

Technology

• Electronic mail software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software