The textile industry offers employment opportunities in a variety of occupations, but production occupations accounted for almost 64 percent of all jobs. Some of these production occupations are unique to the industry. Additional opportunities also exist in material-moving, administrative support, maintenance, repair, management, and professional occupations. The industry also employs a small number of workers in service and sales occupations.
Many workers enter the textile industry as machine setters and operators, the largest occupational group in the industry. They are responsible for setting each machine and monitoring its operation. They inspect their machines to determine if they need repairs or adjustments. They may clean and oil their machines, and repair or replace worn parts. Additionally, they must diagnose problems when the machinery stops and restart it as soon as possible, to reduce costly machine idle time. Textile machine setters and operators also install, level, and align components such as gears, chains, dies, cutters, and needles.
Textile machine setters and operators thread yarn, thread, or fabric through guides, needles, or rollers. Extruding machine operators load chemicals or wood pulp into their machines. They adjust the controls for proper tension, speed, and heat; for electronically controlled equipment, they program controls or key in instructions using a computer keyboard. Operators then start the machines and monitor their operation, observing control panels and gauges to detect problems.
Skilled production occupations also include quality control inspectors, who use precision measuring instruments and complex testing equipment to detect product defects, wear, or deviations from specifications.
Among installation, maintenance, and repair occupations, industrial machinery mechanics account for about 2 percent of industry employment. They inspect machines to make sure they are working properly. They clean, oil, and grease parts and tighten belts on a regular basis. When necessary, they make adjustments or replace worn parts and put the equipment back together. Mechanics are under pressure to fix equipment quickly because breakdowns usually stop or slow production. In addition to making repairs, mechanics help install new machines. They may enter instructions for computer-controlled machinery and demonstrate the equipment to machine operators.
Plant workers who do not operate or maintain equipment mostly perform a variety of other material-moving tasks. Some drive industrial trucks or tractors to move materials around the plant, load and unload trucks and railroad cars, or package products and materials by hand.
Engineers and engineering technicians, although a vital part of the textile industry, account for less than 1 percent of employment in the industry. Some engineers are textile engineers, who specialize in the design of textile machinery, the study of fibers, and textile production. The industry also employs other types of engineers, particularly industrial and mechanical engineers.
