How to become a sewing machine operator
Official title: Sewing machine operator
Also called: Clothing alteration machinist, Clothing sample machinist, Embroidering machine operator, Garment sewing machine operator, Hat and cap sewer (machine), Machine embroiderer, Machine sewer, Embroidering machine operator, Garment sewing machine operator, Machine sewer
Sewing machine operator operates and monitors sewing machines to make, repair, darn and renovate textile, fur, synthetic or leather garments or embroider ornamental designs on garments or non garment products. He/she operates button hole making and eyelet holing machines to cut holes, stitch around holes, stitch buttons and fix eyelets to garments.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $27,204 a year. The middle half earn $20,856 to $36,000 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How much does a sewing machine operator earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $27,204 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $20,856 to $36,000.
Will AI change the work of a sewing machine operator?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026