A rich variety of fabrics helps make clothing wearable, unique, and beautiful. Fabrics from cotton and linen, to silk and wool, all have one thing in common, sooner or later, they need to be cleaned and pressed. That provides an endless supply of customers for laundry and dry-cleaning workers, and pressers. Laundry workers may help customers use washers and dryers at a public laundromat, or operate specialized equipment at a dry-cleaner. They treat different fabrics with specialized cleaning methods, and advise customers on how to avoid damaging clothing. Dry-cleaning workers treat spots and stains before cleaning, and may make minor repairs such as sewing on buttons. Some also clean rugs and draperies. Pressers operate steam press machines or hand irons to remove wrinkles from clothing or flatwork items. They steam and stretch items by hand to return them to their original measurements, and finish pleated and other garments such as costumes and evening gowns. These are physical jobs, laundry and dry-cleaning workers and pressers are on their feet most of the time, and do a lot of bending, lifting, and carrying. Work environments may be noisy, odorous, and hot, while chemicals used in dry-cleaning are often harsh. Positions typically have no specific education requirements, although some positions may require a high school diploma.
What they do:
Press or shape articles by hand or machine.
On the job, you would:
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.
Business
customer service
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
manufacture and distribution of products
Basic Skills
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
keep your arm or hand steady
Controlled Movement
quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Dependability
Independence
Stress Tolerance
Innovation
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
Email software
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
no high school diploma/GED or high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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