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Textile operative

Textile operatives spin natural and synthetic material into yarns and fabrics for use in clothing, furnishings and industrial products.

Annual Salary

£16,500 to £24,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

41 to 43 a week

You could work: between 8am and 6pm; on shifts

0.9%
Future employment

There will be 0.9% fewer Textile operative jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

In this job, you will:

  • set up machinery and programme instructions
  • operate machine looms that knit, weave and loop threads together
  • prepare fibres and make sure they are combed, cleaned and twisted into yarns
  • spin fibres and wind them onto bobbins or cones
  • monitor production and report any problems
  • do quality checks
  • treat fabrics to make them stain or crease resistant
  • make sure machines are ready for handover to the next shift
  • keep production areas clean

Working environment

You could work in a factory or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be noisy.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
College

You could do a college course, which may help you when you start looking for work. Courses include:

  • Level 1 or Level 2 Certificate in Textiles
  • Level 2 Certificate in Fashion and Textiles

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

You could start by doing a textile manufacturing operative intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Direct application

You can apply directly for work. There are no particular requirements although experience in textile manufacturing or sewing machinist work will be helpful.

More information

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You could move into a machine maintenance job or quality control after further training. With experience, you might get promotion to become a production supervisor then shift manager.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to work on your own
  • knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • observation and recording skills
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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