BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasPressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

O*NET · 51-6021.00

Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

Press or shape articles by hand or machine.

Also called All-Around Presser · Armhole Presser · Automatic Presser · Blocker · Boarder · Bobbin Presser · Brim Presser · Buffing Wheel Presser
81 more

Bulk Folder · Calender Machine Operator · Clothes Ironer · Clothes Presser · Clothing Presser · Coat Presser · Creaser · Crown Presser · Curtain Stretcher · Delicate Fabrics Presser · Drapery Head Former · Dry Clean Presser · Dry Cleaner Presser · Flap Presser · Flat Finisher · Flat Ironer · Flatwork Finisher · Flatwork Ironer · Flatwork Presser · Form Presser · Fur Ironer · Garment Folder · Garment Presser · Garment Steamer · Hand Flatwork Finisher · Hand Ironer · Hand Presser · Handkerchief Presser · Hat Blocker · Hat Ironer · Hat Lining Blocker · Hat Presser · Hat Steamer · Hydraulic Press Operator · Ironer · Ironing Machine Operator · Ironing Pleater · Ironing Worker · Knitted Goods Shaper · Laundry Press Operator · Laundry Presser · Leather Finisher · Linen Folder · Linens Folder · Machine Presser · Machine Straw Hat Presser · Mangle Feeder · Mangler · Millinery Blocker · Pants Presser · Patch Press Operator · Patching Machine Operator · Press Operator · Presser · Pressing Machine Operator · Pressing Machine Tender · Pressure Steamer Tender · Seam Presser · Shirt Folder · Shirt Ironer · Shirt Line Operator · Shirt Presser · Silk Finisher · Silk Presser · Sleeve Ironer · Sleeve Presser Operator · Sleever · Slip Presser · Steam Clothes Press Operator · Steam Press Operator · Steam Press Tender · Steam Presser · Steamer · Steaming Cabinet Tender · Straw Hat Plunger Operator · Strip Presser · Tie Presser · Under Presser · Vest Presser · Wool Presser · Yoke Presser

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCA35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCARealistic · Conventional · Artistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.38
  • C Conventional3.50
  • A Artistic2.31
  • I Investigative1.46
  • S Social1.15
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma59%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent26%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree1%
  • Doctoral Degree14%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (32%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (26%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (24%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Operations Monitoring2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Time Management2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Monitoringbasic2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Complex Problem Solving2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Troubleshooting2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Equipment Maintenance2.31.4Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Quality Control Analysis2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Active Learningbasic2.11.5Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
Show the other 23

Tasks

20 core · 8 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.4.6
  2. Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.4.6
  3. Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.4.5
  4. Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.4.5
  5. Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.4.5
  6. Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.4.5
  7. Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.4.4
  8. Finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high quality finishes.4.4
  9. Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.4.4
  10. Identify and treat spots on garments.4.4
  11. Slide material back and forth over heated, metal, ball-shaped forms to smooth and press portions of garments that cannot be satisfactorily pressed with flat pressers or hand irons.4.3
  12. Select appropriate pressing machines, based on garment properties such as heat tolerance.4.3
Show the other 16
  1. Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.4.3
  2. Position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.4.2
  3. Spray water over fabric to soften fibers when not using steam irons.4.2
  4. Moisten materials to soften and smooth them.4.1
  5. Activate and adjust machine controls to regulate temperature and pressure of rollers, ironing shoes, or plates, according to specifications.4.1
  6. Clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants.4.1
  7. Block or shape knitted garments after cleaning.4.1
  8. Press ties on small pressing machines.4.1
  9. Use covering cloths to prevent equipment from damaging delicate fabrics.4.3
  10. Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using measuring devices such as tape measures and micrometers.4.2
  11. Finish velvet garments by steaming them on bucks of hot-head presses or steam tables, and brushing pile (nap) with handbrushes.4.1
  12. Insert heated metal forms into ties and touch up rough places with hand irons.4.1
  13. Measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.4.1
  14. Brush materials made of suede, leather, or felt to remove spots or to raise and smooth naps.4.0
  15. Sew ends of new material to leaders or to ends of material in pressing machines, using sewing machines.4.0
  16. Select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service3.62.1Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
  • Production and Processing3.32.3Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • English Language2.92.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Public Safety and Security2.92.2Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Education and Training2.62.8
  • Administration and Management2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Sales and Marketing2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Mathematics2.41.2Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
Show all 33
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.31.7Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Transportation2.30.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Mechanical2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Computers and Electronics2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Administrative2.00.9Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Communications and Media1.80.9Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Engineering and Technology1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Law and Government1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics1.7—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Building and Construction1.6—
  • Chemistry1.6—
  • Foreign Language1.6—
  • Economics and Accounting1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Food Production1.4—
  • History and Archeology1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.40.3Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Psychology1.4—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.4—
  • Fine Arts1.3—
  • Geography1.3—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.2—
  • Telecommunications1.2—
  • Design1.1—
  • Biology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Manual Dexterity3.63.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Control Precision3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Near Vision3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Finger Dexterity3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Multilimb Coordination3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Reaction Time3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Trunk Strength3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
Show all 52
  • Extent Flexibility2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Rate Control2.92.6
  • Dynamic Strength2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Problem Sensitivity2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Stamina2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Deductive Reasoning2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Information Ordering2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Selective Attention2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Static Strength2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Depth Perception2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Inductive Reasoning2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.41.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Category Flexibility2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Oral Expression2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Perceptual Speed2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Response Orientation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speech Recognition2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Auditory Attention2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Flexibility of Closure2.12.4Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Gross Body Coordination2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Visualization2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Fluency of Ideas2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Speech Clarity2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Memorization1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Originality1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Closure1.90.9
  • Written Comprehension1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.60.8
  • Explosive Strength1.60.9
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Time Sharing1.60.6
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—
  • Spatial Orientation1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.83.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Getting Information3.62.7
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.02.9
Show all 41
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.02.9
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.72.6
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events2.72.1Level 1 looks like: Test an automobile transmission
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Thinking Creatively2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.62.2Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.62.8
  • Processing Information2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Training and Teaching Others2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.31.7Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Developing and Building Teams2.21.1Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.11.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Working with Computers2.11.1Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Exchange greetings with a coworker
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.30.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Performing Administrative Activities1.2—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Standing4.3
  • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment4.2
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.2
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.1
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.1
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.0
  • Time Pressure3.9
  • Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings3.8
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions3.7
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team3.5

Technology

3 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (2)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (1)
  • Email software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Sewing Machine Operators
  2. Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
  3. Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
  4. Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  5. Machine Feeders and Offbearers
  6. Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
  7. Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  8. Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
  9. Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
  10. Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

Compare any occupation →

Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.

Use this in your own job architecture

BlissPoint Organization Viewer can link a role directly to this occupation and suggest these skills as that role's starting requirements.

Try it free →

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.