Shoe machine operators and tenders
Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Shoe machine operators and tenders operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts. The role reports a median annual salary of $38,160 in the US and is projected to decline by 4% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.55 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Reading Comprehension, Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £25,357 a year for Footwear and leather working trades (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5412). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Shoe machine operators and tenders, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Public Safety and Security
- Engineering and Technology
- Administrative
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Shoe machine operators and tenders do?
Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
How much does Shoe machine operators and tenders earn?
The median annual salary for Shoe machine operators and tenders in the US is $38,160.
What is the job outlook for Shoe machine operators and tenders?
The role is projected to decline by 4% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 4,100 workers.
How do I become shoe machine operators and tenders?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Shoe machine operators and tenders need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Shoe machine operators and tenders?
Our AI-durability model gives Shoe machine operators and tenders a score of 0.55 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Shoe machine operators and tenders has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.