Dry cleaning, laundry and related occupations
Career Overview
Dry cleaning and laundry machine operators:
- Operate machines to dry clean or launder garments and other articles
Dry cleaning and laundry inspectors and assemblers:
- Check finished garments and other articles to make sure they meet required standards for dry cleaning, laundering and pressing
- Assemble and bag finished garments and other articles
This unit group also includes workers who iron, press or otherwise finish garments and household articles
These workers:
- Are employed in dry cleaning, laundry and fur cleaning establishments
- May work in the laundries of hotels, hospitals and other institutions
Job Titles
Duties
Dry cleaning and laundry machine operators:
- Operate dry cleaning machines to dry clean dresses, suits, coats, sweaters and other garments, draperies, cushion covers and other articles
- Run washing machines and dryers to clean and dry garments, sheets, blankets, towels and other articles
- Operate machines to clean and blow-dry fur garments
- Run machines to dry clean, dye, spray, re-oil, and re-buff suede and leather garments
Dry cleaning and laundry inspectors and assemblers:
- Check finished garments and other articles to make sure they are properly dry cleaned or laundered
- Record damaged or improperly dry cleaned or laundered garments and other articles
- Use hand-held steam iron to touch up finished garments and other articles
- Assemble and bag finished garments and other articles
- Match invoices with tags on garments or other articles
Ironing, pressing and finishing workers:
- Operate finishing equipment such as steam pressers, and use hand irons to finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry cleaned and laundered articles
- Hand iron laundered fine linens or dry-cleaned silk garments
- Operate fur ironing and glazing equipment to finish fur garments and other fur articles
- Fold and bag dry cleaned and laundered articles
- May operate laundering equipment
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,110% Employed Full Time
46%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in an indoor space where workers may be exposed to chemicals, strong odours and steam
- Working with equipment and appliances, such as irons, can be a source of injury
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory dry cleaning and laundry occupations is possible with additional training and experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Some secondary school education is required
- Four to eight weeks of on-the-job training are usually provided
- Dry cleaning and laundry machine operators may require experience as inspectors or assemblers
- Suede, leather and fur cleaners may require experience as dry cleaning or laundry machine operators
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
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.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
2,110Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 100 | 4.7% |
| Kootenay | 50 | 2.4% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,095 | 51.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 55 | 2.6% |
| Northeast | 20 | 0.9% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 345 | 16.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 440 | 20.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,250Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 1.1% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 730 | 2.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | -0.1% |
| Northeast | 10 | 1.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 170 | 1.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 270 | 1.7% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 630 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 370 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 190 |
| Manufacturing | 20 |
| Retail Trade | 20 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
