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The idea of becoming a sewing machine mechanic is one that’ll appeal to anyone with a strong interest in technology, sewing, and simply just helping others in need. Being such a mechanic will require you to develop specialist knowledge regarding a variety of sewing machines including both the humble home machine all the way to heavy-duty, commercial machine.
Now because sewing machines are known to face the occasional mechanical issue or two overtime coupled with the fact that DIY-repairs can seem daunting to the average sewist, you can rest easy knowing that your skills will always be in demand by someone somewhere. Seriously, we absolutely stand by this statement. There are millions of sewing machines breaking down every month, all in dire need for a mechanic after all!
So, the question then become how do you begin your journey down this path? Do you consult YouTube tutorials, sign up for a course at a vocational college, or head directly to a repair shop asking for an apprenticeship? Well, just sit tight and continue reading on where we’ll walk you through the standard path most mechanics take.
Step 1: Training
The first step may be the easiest on your path. On one hand, while you don’t need a fancy engineering degree from college to begin your journey, you’ll at least need a high school diploma or a GED to get started.
Sure, you could in theory teach yourself machine repairing via tutorials on YouTube, but we strongly suggest you consider face-to-face classes at a vocational school, specialist training center, or something similar. Having classes like this gives you a chances to work on your skills and education under the direct instruction of experienced veterans in the field who’ll be able to guide you every step of the day and address any questions you might have immediately.
You’ll even be able to develop personal connections to both your colleagues and practicing professionals which will be a boon to any budding mechanic’s network.
However note that not all courses are equal. Many scams exist and serve only one purpose – to drain the pockets of their unfortunate victims. Avoiding this is a straightforward process, however. Before registering for any course, simply conduct a little due diligence online and ensure they are an accredited educational institution!
Step 2: Work Experience
Just because you have a fancy sewing mechanic course under your belt along with a certificate attesting to it, this doesn’t mean you’re ready to take on some real work just yet. Think of it this way; a lawyer with just a law degree isn’t necessarily ready to tackle a landmark case. They still need vital and practical training to get started. Likewise for you sewing machine mechanics, you absolutely still need proper guidance this early on!
This is where things like internships and apprenticeships step in. You’ll be able to find them advertised either online or through word-of-mouth so keen an eye out and make some inquiries at your local sewing shop for possible opportunities. Here, you’ll work either in sewing machine shops, specialist repair centers, factories, and so much more. This will be an invaluable experience as you’ll yet again be working alongside employees with a lifetime of experience who can help you climb the very steep learning curve and provide you with some much needed confidence.
Of course, this will also be a chance for you to apply your newfound knowledge into a real-world setting so you could think of this period just like riding a bicycle with training wheels. Less mentioned is the fact that this can also be an opportunity for you to decide whether you truly enjoy doing what you do. The field of sewing machine repairs is a tough but rewarding one and isn’t for everyone.
So during this period understand that you’re not just there to work for the company. You’re there to assess your own fit for the field and this is something that at the end of the day, only you are capable of properly doing.
Further, one little nugget of advice we’ve seen the pros parrot time and time again is that during this period, consider purchasing old run-down sewing machines and repairing them yourself. Not only will you be able to further work on your skills in the comfort of your home, but you’ll even be able to sell the machine later to make a little extra side income (assuming you’ve done proper repairs of course)!
Step 3: Career Progression
With adequate training and experience under your belt, you’ll now be able to forge your own path forward so to speak. Essentially, you’ll have two paths to pick from: you can either work for an established business or consider self-employment (i.e. running your own sewing mechanic business).
The former will require you to once again, go on a little job hunt. Check out online job boards like Indeed for potential openings near you or simply make direct inquires at any relevant business you may know. Factories, repair shops, and the like will fit the bill here. Heck, if you’ve played your cards right, the connections you would have made during your training and apprenticeship periods should help you find promising leads. Unfortunately, there’s no promise that you’ll find a job at your preferred location so do be prepared to move around the country if need be.
The latter will require a lot more independence and business acumen. You’ll be working basically as a freelancer with your own sewing machine repair business. This is a far riskier option but will pay back tenfold if done successfully. You might just start out working for people you know like friends and family and eventually progress onto your fellow neighbors and eventually factories.
Of course you’ll need to advertise your business while ensuring that the services you offer are competitive and can hold a candle to other, established service providers in the region. So start thinking on how you can differentiate yourself from the rest as early as possible if you choose to go down this route!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Sewing Machine Mechanics make per year?
Sewing machine mechanics have been reported to make around $33,000 per year with the top 10% of the group earning close to $50,000 and the bottom 10% making $25,000. Of course don’t take this as gospel.
How much you will make will depend heavily on where you live (mechanics living in San Francisco can obviously expect to make far more than a mechanic living in say, Hattiesburg with its far lower cost of living), your years of experience as a mechanic, your expertise, your repair rates, and a million other factors that we simply don’t have the space to list here. Whether you’re working as an employee for a larger business or own your own business and have employees working for you will too, have a very noticeable impact here though.
What does the average working day look like for a Sewing Machine Mechanic?
It isn’t a stretch to say that no two working days will ever look the same. Though sewing machines are factory produced and look identical to each other, how they are operated by sewists and what they are used to create will never be the same between two machines.
The course of operations can differ wildly depending on the season, who you’re clients are, and on just plain old unpredictable luck. Regardless, if we had to generalize the average working day, it’ll look something like this: you’ll spend the earlier hours organizing your workday and communicating with clients and addressing their questions.
Afterwards, before you start doing any repairs, you’ll probably conduct some preliminary diagnostic testing to determine what is wrong with the sewing machine under your care. Followed by this, troubleshooting and the actual repairs will begin and can take anywhere between minutes to days on end depending on the complexity of the task.
Once done, you’ll return the machine to your client and if things go well, you should be able to move onto your next task.