National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.0

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9 - Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

This category contains supervisory, production and labouring occupations in manufacturing, processing and utilities.

Occupations in this category are characterized by either technical training or internal progression, and on-the-job training. Process control occupations in this category are increasingly technical and post-secondary training is usually required. For many occupations in this category, workers typically start out as labourers and progress to machine operation occupations through experience. Progression to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Mobility in some of these occupations may be limited by seniority provisions of collective agreements, or may require additional training.

94 - Processing and manufacturing machine operators and related production workers

This major group comprises occupations in processing and manufacturing machine operation and related production work which usually require completion of secondary school and experience or on-the-job training. It includes machine operators and related workers in mineral and metal products processing and manufacturing; chemical, plastic and rubber processing; pulp and paper production and wood processing and manufacturing; textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing; food, beverage and associated products processing; and printing equipment operators and related occupations.

944 - Machine operators and related workers in textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing

This minor group includes textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers; weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations; fabric, fur and leather cutters; industrial sewing machine operators; and inspectors and graders, textile, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing. They are employed by textile manufacturing companies; leather tanning, fur dressing and leather and fur dyeing establishments; garment and mattress manufacturing companies; clothing manufacturers and other manufacturers of fabric products; furriers and fur products manufacturers; shoe and other leather products manufacturers; and footwear and other manufacturing establishments.

9441 - Textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers

Textile fibre and yarn processing machine operators and workers operate machines to prepare textile fibres; spin, wind or twist yarn or thread; and bleach, dye or finish yarn, thread, cloth or textile products. They are employed by textile manufacturing companies. Hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers trim, scrape, clean, tan, buff and dye animal hides, pelts or skins to produce leather stock and finished furs. They are employed by leather tanning, fur dressing and leather and fur dyeing establishments.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • autoclave tender - textile manufacturing
    • bleaching range operator - textile manufacturing
    • calender operator - textile manufacturing
    • carding machine operator - textile manufacturing
    • coater operator - textile manufacturing
    • dyeing range operator - textile manufacturing
    • fabric-printing machine operator
    • finishing range operator - textile manufacturing
    • leather buffer - hide and pelt processing
    • leather stretcher - hide and pelt processing
    • spinning operator - textile manufacturing
    • tanner - hide and pelt processing
    • twisting operator - textile manufacturing
    • yarn doubler - textile manufacturing

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Master dyers and textile colour technologists (See 2211 Chemical technologists and technicians)
    • Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (See 9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing)
  • Main duties

    Textile fibre and yarn processing machine operators and workers perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Operate and feed machines that wash, mix, blend, pick, card, lap, comb or draw fibres and finish yarn
    • Operate spinning, twisting, winding or reeling machines
    • Operate a variety of machines to bleach, dye, coat or finish fabric, thread, yarn or other textile products
    • Mix dyes or chemicals according to established formulas
    • Operate machinery to print designs onto textile products
    • Oversee work area, examine products for defects and ensure adherence to quality standards
    • Investigate machine stoppages and notify supervisor or mechanic in the event of equipment malfunction
    • May set up machines and assist with maintenance and minor repairs to machinery.

    Hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Operate machines or use hand and powered cutting knives to remove unnecessary particles from hides, skins or pelts; shave or polish hides; and shear fur or wool hides to produce pelts with hair of specified or uniform lengths
    • Prepare solutions according to pre-established formulas and immerse hides, skins or pelts to clean, dehair, pickle, dye, oil, tan, soften and preserve
    • Adjust rotation and mixing action of vats according to state of pelts
    • Tint or dye furs to enhance natural shades of fur
    • May maintain and repair vats and other machinery.
  • Employment requirements

    • Completion of secondary school may be required.
    • On-the-job training is provided for periods up to several months, depending on the complexity of the process and the number of machines operated.
  • Additional information

    • Progression is possible within the group to operate more complex dye ranges and textile printing equipment.
    • Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience for fibre and yarn preparation machine operators and hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers.
    • Progression to supervisory positions in textile processing usually requires completion of a college program in textiles, chemistry or a related subject.
    • There is some mobility among jobs in this unit group.
9442 - Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations

Operators in this unit group operate 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. This unit group also includes workers who perform activities such as reproducing patterns, drawing-in and tying warps and setting up looms. They are employed by textile companies and by garment and mattress manufacturing companies.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • carpet weaver
    • drawer-in - textiles
    • drawing-in machine operator
    • embroidery machine operator
    • hosiery knitter
    • knitter - textiles
    • knitting machine operator
    • loom operator
    • mattress sewing machine operator
    • pinning machine operator
    • quilting machine operator
    • tufting operator
    • warp knitting machine tender
    • warp tier-in
    • weaver - textiles

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Craft weavers and knitters (See 5244 Artisans and craftspersons)
    • Industrial sewing machine operators (See 9446 Industrial sewing machine operators)
    • Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (See 9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing)
    • Textile machinery mechanics (See 7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics)
  • Main duties

    Operators in this unit 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
    • Operate machines that produce twine, ropes or nets
    • Operate batteries of knitting machines to produce knitted fabric, hosiery, garments or other products
    • Operate 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
    • Investigate machine stoppages
    • Repair minor mechanical problems such as broken or defective needles
    • Notify supervisor or repairers of mechanical malfunctions.
  • Employment requirements

    • 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.
  • Additional information

    • Mobility among 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.
9445 - Fabric, fur and leather cutters

Fabric cutters cut fabric to make parts for garments, linens and other articles. Fur cutters cut fur pelts to make parts for garments and other fur articles. Leather cutters cut leather to make parts for shoes, garments and other leather articles. Fabric cutters are employed by clothing and textile manufacturers and other manufacturers of fabric products. Fur cutters are employed by furriers and fur products manufacturers. Leather cutters are employed by shoe and other leather products manufacturers.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • clothing cutter
    • fabric cutter
    • fur cutter
    • glove cutter
    • leather cutter
    • sample cutter
    • shoe cutter

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Shoe repairers and shoemakers (See 6343 Shoe repairers and shoemakers)
    • Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners (See 6342 Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners)
  • Main duties

    Fabric cutters perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric using electric or manual knives, cutters or computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting devices
    • Adjust cutting technique to type of fabric and style of garment
    • May cut fabric samples.

    Fur cutters perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Cut fur skins in diagonal strips to specified length and shape of pelt using furrier's knives and cutters
    • Number pelts to indicate their location on pattern
    • May sort or match skins, and may prepare fur samples.

    Leather cutters perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Select leather and cutting dies for leather goods and shoe parts according to specifications
    • Position leather on cutting bed of machine, maximizing usage according to skin grain, skin flaws and skin stretch
    • Operate clicker or punch press to stretch leather
    • Operate machine to cut leather or cut single leather skins by hand to make leather products
    • May cut leather samples.
  • Employment requirements

    • Some secondary school education is usually required.
    • Experience as a fabric, fur or leather cutter is required for fabric, fur or leather sample cutters.
    • Some on-the-job training is provided for occupations in this unit group.
    • Several years of on-the-job training are provided for fur cutters.
  • Additional information

    • There is little mobility among the different kinds of cutters in this unit group.
    • Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
9446 - Industrial sewing machine operators

Industrial sewing machine operators operate sewing machines to sew fabric, fur, leather or synthetic materials to produce or repair garments and other articles. They are employed in clothing, footwear, textile products, fur products and other manufacturing establishments and by furriers.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • fur sewing machine operator
    • leather products sewing machine operator
    • lining stitcher
    • sample sewer
    • serging machine operator
    • sewing machine operator
    • shoe sewer

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Fabric, fur and leather cutters (See 9445 Fabric, fur and leather cutters)
    • Mattress sewing and embroidery machine operators (See 9442 Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations)
    • Shoe repairers and shoemakers (See 6343 Shoe repairers and shoemakers)
    • Supervisors of sewing machine operators (See 9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing)
    • Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners (See 6342 Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners)
  • Main duties

    Industrial sewing machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Assemble pieces of garments by matching patterns and dye lots
    • Operate single, double or multi-needle serging, flat bed felling, banding and other sewing machines, to join sections of garments or other articles into finished products on a piece-work or production basis
    • Operate fur sewing machines to join fur pelt strips to required size and shape and join pelts into garment sections or shells
    • Operate stitching machines to sew leather parts together for leather garments, handbags, shoes and other leather articles
    • Operate serging machines to sew and overcast edges of material simultaneously
    • Operate tackers, pocketsetters, buttonhole makers and fusing, hemmer and other machines to perform various operations in the fabrication of garments and other articles
    • Examine garments and operate sewing machines, sergers and other machines to repair garments and other articles during the manufacturing process
    • Complete production reports
    • May perform minor maintenance and repairs on sewing machine.
  • Employment requirements

    • Some secondary school education is usually required.
    • Experience operating a sewing machine is usually required.
    • On-the-job training may be provided.
  • Additional information

    • Industrial sewing machine operators may progress to supervisory positions with experience.
9447 - Inspectors and graders, textile, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing

Inspectors and graders in this unit group inspect and grade textile, fabric, fur and leather products. They are employed by textile companies, leather tanning and fur dressing establishments and garment, fur and leather products manufacturers.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • cloth inspector
    • colour grader - textiles
    • fabric examiner
    • fibre inspector - textiles
    • fur grader
    • fur matcher - fur products manufacturing
    • garment inspector
    • hide and pelt processing inspector
    • leather goods inspector
    • leather grader
    • quality control inspector - textiles
    • shoe inspector
    • textile grader
    • textile product sampler
    • yarn inspector

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing (See 9217 Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing)
  • Main duties

    Inspectors and graders in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties:

    • Examine natural, synthetic and hybrid textile, fabric, fur and leather garments or products for conformity to quality standards
    • Inspect and grade animal hides and pelts according to size, condition and weight
    • Verify fit or size of finished garments and products by measuring or comparing products with samples and patterns
    • Mark defects, repair minor imperfections, cut excess materiel using scissors, and remove lint and spots using brushes, lint removers and cleaning solutions
    • Grade and sort finished products and tag according to size, style and quality
    • Record information on products inspected
    • May package products.
  • Employment requirements

    • Some secondary school education is usually required.
    • On-the-job training is provided.
    • Work experience in the manufacturing of the products inspected is usually required.
  • Additional information

    • There is limited mobility among the different inspectors and graders in this unit group.
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