Footwear Production Machine Operators

ANZSCO ID 711711

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
220
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
79%
Female Share
66%
Average age
50

Summary

Footwear Production Machine Operators operate machines to manufacture ready-to-wear footwear.

Specialisations: Shoemaking Cutter, Shoemaking Finisher.

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Footwear Production Machine Operator. Some workers have a certificate II in footwear production.

Tasks

  • Prepares machines for operation by selecting and installing attachments and components for specialised functions.

  • Sets and operates controls used to regulate processing operations.

  • Starts machines and monitors operation to detect faults and ensure effectiveness of operation.

  • Cuts and machines leather and synthetic shoe uppers, and makes shoes using moulded and cement construction techniques.

  • Examines finished products for defects and variations, reports faults in machines, and carries out quality control procedures.


Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Textile & Footwear Production Machine Operators, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 79% of people employed as Footwear Production Machine Operators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 13 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
68.3%
2
Retail Trade
4.1%
3
Mining
1.8%
4
Construction
1.8%
5
Other industries
4.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

34.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

30.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

10.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

22.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

2.7% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.0% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Footwear Production Machine Operators All Jobs Average
NSW 34.5 31.6
VIC 30.0 25.6
QLD 10.0 20.0
SA 22.7 7.0
WA 2.7 10.8
TAS 0.0 2.0
NT 0.0 1.0
ACT 0.0 1.9


  • Around 76% of Footwear Production Machine Operators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    South Australia and Victoria have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
50
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
66%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Footwear Production Machine Operators is 50 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 66% of the workforce. This is 18 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Footwear Production Machine Operators All Jobs Average
15-19 0.0 5.0
20-24 1.4 9.3
25-34 9.0 22.9
35-44 16.7 22.0
45-54 41.9 21.6
55-59 14.3 9.0
60-64 13.3 6.0
65 and Over 3.3 4.2
Median Age 50 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Footwear Production Machine Operator. Some workers have a certificate II in footwear production.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Textiles, Clothing & Footwear VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Footwear Production Machine Operators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 1.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.8 11.6
Certificate III/IV 10.5 21.1
Year 12 30.8 18.1
Year 11 9.3 4.8
Year 10 and below 41.9 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Textile & Footwear Production Machine Operators who are hardworking, can work well with others and are reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 43%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 43%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 41%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 41%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 39%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 39%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 37%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 37%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 37%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 36%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 36%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 36%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 34%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 34%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 32%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 27%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 27%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 25%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 23%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 23%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 56%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 48%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 45%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 38%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 35%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 34%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 34%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 26%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 26%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 25%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 22%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 21%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 21%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 21%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 21%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 19%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 19%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 15%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 14%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 48%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 48%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 46%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 45%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 43%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 43%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 43%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 43%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 41%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 39%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 39%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 38%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 38%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 38%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 38%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 38%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 34%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 80%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 72%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 57%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 52%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 51%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 49%

    Working with mechanical equipment

    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.

  • 48%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 48%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 47%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 46%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 46%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 45%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 45%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 44%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 44%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 44%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 38%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 37%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 34%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 32%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 38%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 24%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 19%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 14%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 14%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 57%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 38%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 33%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 33%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 29%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 26%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 97%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 96%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 85%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 84%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 81%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 77%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 75%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 74%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 70%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 70%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 69%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 68%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 66%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 65%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 65%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 64%

    Dangerous equipment

    Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.

  • 62%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 60%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 60%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 58%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 51-6042.00 - Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders.


Links and downloads

Back to top