Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations
Career Overview
Operators in this group:
- Run machines to process yarn or thread into woven, non-woven and knitted products such as cloth, lace, carpets, rope, industrial fabric, hosiery and knitted garments or to quilt and embroider fabric
- Includes workers who perform activities such as reproducing patterns, drawing-in and tying warps and setting up looms
- Work for textile companies and garment and mattress manufacturing companies
Job Titles
Duties
Operators in this group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Set up looms or other processing machines
- Read loom patterns and prepare loom pattern mechanisms for processing
- Operate looms to weave yarn or thread into textile fabrics or products
- Run machines that produce twine, ropes or nets
- Operate batteries of knitting machines to produce knitted fabric, hosiery, garments or other products
- Run carpet tufting machines, felt making needle-punch machines and other machines to produce textile products
- Operate large automatic multi-needle machines to embroider material or to sew lengths of several layers of material to make yard goods, quilts or mattress coverings
- Patrol machines and check fabrics or products for defects and to verify efficient operation
- Look into machine stoppages
- Repair minor mechanical problems such as broken or defective needles
- Let supervisor or repairers know about mechanical malfunctions
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
155% Employed Full Time
29%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a regular controlled indoor environment
- The workplace may contain airborne particles such as textile dust
- Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- Noise in the workplace may cause distraction or hearing loss
Career Pathways
Movement between employers may be limited by differences in machines and products. Progression to textile machinery mechanics and repairers or to supervisory positions is possible with experience and training.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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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
- On-the-job training is provided for periods up to several months, depending on the complexity of the product, whether equipment set-up and maintenance is done by the operator, and the number of machines operated
- Previous experience as a labourer in the same company may be required for some operators in this group
Education programs in B.C.
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!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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.
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.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
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
155Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 105 | 67.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 12.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | 12.9% |
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)
40Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 40 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | Not available | Not available |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 0 | -2.6% |
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) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20 |
| Retail Trade | 10 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.