Summary Report for:
51-6051.00 - Sewers, Hand
Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
Sample of reported job titles:
Custom Clothier, Dressmaker, Designer, Seamstress, Coutierier, Alteration Specialist, Custom Designer, Custom Seamstress
Tasks | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Additional Information
Tasks
- Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.
- Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.
- Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles.
- Draw and cut patterns according to specifications.
- Fold, twist, stretch, or drape material, and secure articles in preparation for sewing.
- Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks.
- Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts.
- Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.
- Sew buttonholes, or add lace or other trimming.
- Wax thread by drawing it through a ball of wax.
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Knowledge
| 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. |
| Design — Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. |
| Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. |
| 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. |
| Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
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Skills
| Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
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Abilities
| Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. |
| Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged. |
| Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. |
| Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). |
| Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. |
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Work Activities
| Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
| Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
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Work Context
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
| Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
| Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting? |
| Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
| Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? |
| Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
| Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — How much does this job require making repetitive motions? |
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Job Zone
| Title |
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
| Education |
These occupations usually require a high school diploma. |
| Related Experience |
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public. |
| Job Training |
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| Job Zone Examples |
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers. |
| SVP Range |
(4.0 to < 6.0) |
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Education
Percentage of Respondents |
Education Level Required |
37   |
Some college, no degree |
| 30 |
Less than high school diploma |
| 22 |
High school diploma or equivalent |
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Interests
Interest code: RAC
| Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. |
| Artistic — Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules. |
| Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow. |
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Work Styles
| Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
| Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
| Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
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Work Values
| Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
| Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
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Related Occupations
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Wages & Employment Trends
National
| Median wages (2011) |
$11.32 hourly, $23,540 annual |
| Employment (2010) |
10,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2010-2020) |
Decline slowly or moderately (-3% to -9%)
|
| Projected job openings (2010-2020) |
1,400 |
| Top industries (2010) |
|
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 wage data
and 2010-2020 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
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Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- Sewers and Tailors
. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition.
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