What Does A Shirt Presser Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Shirt Pressers

Shirt Pressers press or shape articles by hand or machine.

Salary
$26050
Becoming One
Very Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth
Low

Personality


What they do

Shirt Pressers press or shape articles by hand or machine.

  • Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
  • Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
  • Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
  • Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Shirt Pressers sew ends of new material to leaders or ends of material in pressing machines, using sewing machines. They remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.

A typical day for a Shirt Presser will also include:

  • Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
  • Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.
  • Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
  • Select appropriate pressing machines, based on garment properties such as heat tolerance.
  • Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Shirt Pressers also clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants. They may also position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Shirt Pressers finish velvet garments by steaming them on bucks of hot-head presses or steam tables and brushing pile (nap) with hand brushes. They might also measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.

In addition, they select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them brush materials made of suede, leather, or felt to remove spots or to raise and smooth naps.

To some Shirt Pressers, it is also their responsibility to finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high-quality finishes.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.

It is very easy to get into this career. Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.

Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week).

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

How much do they make

Average salary

$26050 per year

Average hourly wage

$13 per hour

Entry-level Shirt Pressers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $19,060 to $21,910 per year or $9 to $11 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $32,410 $16
Senior (Top 25%) $29,580 $14
Median $25,580 $12
Junior (Bottom 25%) $21,910 $11
No experience (Bottom 10%) $19,060 $9

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Shirt Pressers based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills $28510 $13.71
Printing and Related Support Activities $28380 $13.64
Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing $27410 $13.18
Rental and Leasing Services $27300 $13.13
Employment Services $26670 $12.82
Traveler Accommodation $26090 $12.55
Drycleaning and Laundry Services $25940 $12.47
Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing $25280 $12.16
Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers $25120 $12.08
Apparel Knitting Mills $24020 $11.55

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Shirt Pressers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Shirt Pressers including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Drycleaning and Laundry Services 28300 $25940 $12.47
Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing 1210 $27410 $13.18
Clothing Stores 280 $23410 $11.26
Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing 260 $25280 $12.16
Employment Services 210 $26670 $12.82
Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers 150 $25120 $12.08
Traveler Accommodation 140 $26090 $12.55
Printing and Related Support Activities 130 $28380 $13.64
Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills 120 $28510 $13.71
Rental and Leasing Services 70 $27300 $13.13

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
9%

40 hours
90%

More than 40 hours
1%

Working schedule

56%

44%

1%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
15%

Every day
1%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
10%

Every day
15%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
9%

Every day
52%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
66%

Once a year
6%

Once a month
0%

Once a week
28%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
17%

Slightly competitive
8%

Moderately competitive
5%

Highly competitive
61%

Extremely competitive
10%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
36%

Once a year or more
15%

Once a month or more
3%

Once a week or more
4%

Every day
43%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
44%

Once a year or more
1%

Once a month or more
36%

Once a week or more
1%

Every day
18%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
85%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
15%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
85%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
15%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Very Easy
You need little to no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Careers in this difficulty category don’t require a degree. However, you may need a few days to a few months of on-the-job training. Similar careers include Waiters, Logging Machine Operators, and Cashiers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
59%

High School Diploma or equivalent
26%

Post-Secondary Certificate
0%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
1%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
14%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
18%

1 month
13%

1 to 3 months
1%

3 to 6 months
0%

6 months to 1 year
5%

1 to 2 years
19%

2 to 4 years
32%

4 to 6 years
12%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
1%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
4%

1 month
24%

1 to 3 months
15%

3 to 6 months
13%

6 months to 1 year
16%

1 to 2 years
16%

2 to 4 years
12%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
38%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
33%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
19%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
29%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
76%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
24%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
21%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
19%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
62%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
52%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
24%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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