Production
Shoe machine operators and tenders
Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Median pay
$35,650
Growth to 2035
−7%
declining
Openings a year
400
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Shoe machine operators and tenders
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Shoe machine operators and tenders: 14% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications.
- Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
- Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
- Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
- Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
- Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles.
- Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
- Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
Also called: Boot Maker · Cobbler · Inseamer · Insole Department Worker · Shoe Cementer · Shoe Maker · Side Laster · Stitcher
Outlook and AI
Shoe machine operators and tenders held 4,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 4,200 by 2035 (−7%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
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