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Useful experience for sewing machinists includes:

• community or night courses in dressmaking
• dressmaking or tailoring
• work in a clothing factory or workroom.

Sewing machinists may do some or all of the following:

• set up their sewing machines and overlockers
• work on part or all of a product
• clean and maintain sewing machines
• program stitch patterns into a sewing machine
• operate thread-trimming and other non-sewing machines
• repair or alter items and do some hand-sewing
• discuss daily work requirements with supervisors.

Demand for sewing machinists expected to rise

According to Statistics New Zealand, the number of sewing machinist jobs is expected to rise between now and 2027.

This is due to growing demand for:

• clothing that is environmentally friendly and made in New Zealand
• soft-furnishing sewing skills.

However, insufficient numbers of students are studying the skills required to sew these products, and employers struggle to find sewing machinists with the right skills.

According to the Census, 3,513 sewing machinists worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Chances best for qualified sewing machinists with a variety of skills

Employers prefer sewing machinists:

• with a certificate
• who can do a variety of tasks such as sew fabric for clothing and furniture, sew leather, and cut and mark fabric.

Most sewing machinist jobs not advertised

If you are interested in getting work as a sewing machinist, it's best to approach companies yourself, as over half of new positions in the industry are not advertised. 

Types of employers varied

Sewing machinists may work for:

• small fashion houses
• large clothing manufacturers
• fashion retailers
• soft-furnishing manufacturers
• tent and canvas manufacturers
• furniture and curtain shops
• tailors and dressmakers.

Many sewing machinists are self-employed, contracting their services out to a range of clients. 

Competenz

0800 526 1800 - info@competenz.org.nz - www.competenz.org.nz

Whitecliffe College of Art and Design

0800 800 300 - admissions@whitecliffe.ac.nz - www.whitecliffe.ac.nz

Toi Ohomai

0800 86 46 46 - info@toiohomai.ac.nz - www.toiohomai.ac.nz

With further training, sewing machinists may progress to become clothing markers, cutters, garment technicians, patternmakers or designers.

• Clothing designer job information
• Cutter job information
• Garment technician job information
• Patternmaker job information

Sewing machinists can specialise in a number of roles, including:

Pleater

Pleaters sew pleats and folds into fabrics.

Sample Machinist

Sample machinists sew sample pieces of clothing to show designers, garment technicians and buyers.

Trimmer

Trimmers apply decorations to clothing or upholstery, such as piping, ribbon and beads.

Sewing machinists may also specialise in items such as:

• clothing
• curtains and upholstery (coverings for vehicle seats and furniture such as sofas)
• leather goods
• canvas (tents, awnings).

Sewing machinists need to be:

• patient and good problem solvers
• able to concentrate for long periods
• quick and neat
• accurate, with an eye for detail
• able to follow instructions
• able to work well under pressure
• reliable, careful and safety-conscious.