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Braiding machine operator

Also called textile braider, textile braiders, textile braiding foreman

Braiding machine operators supervise the braiding process of a group of machines, monitoring fabric quality and braiding conditions. They inspect braiding machines after set up, start up, and during production to ensure the product being braided is meeting specs and quality standards.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects22 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Stationary plant and machine operatorsWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 7 in 10 train through vocational routes.Stationary plant and machine operatorsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified · ILO

What you'd do

Textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified · ILO
  • Operating and monitoring machines which form and make hats out of textiles, fur or leather
  • Operating and monitoring machines which make miscellaneous articles such as braids or other trimmings
  • Operating and monitoring machines which fold cloth into measured length
  • Operating and monitoring machines which wind thread, twine, or yarn into balls preparatory to shipping or further processing
  • Operating and monitoring machines to measure size of pieces of leather
Maintain work standardsMeasure yarn countControl textile processEvaluate textile characteristicsManufacture braided products+ 3 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people, mostly with colleagues
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as stationary plant and machine operators in the EU
4.79m4.76m4.7m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
1,125,000 replacing leavers 71,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Stationary plant and machine operators22
All jobs29
Right now
6 of 27 countries report a shortage of textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified, 4 a surplus.
Textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among plant and machine operators, and assemblers in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in textiles (clothes, footwear and leather) is the usual route.

Highest qualification of stationary plant and machine operators (EU, 2025)
Degree 8%Vocational 53%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 29%
Field that teaches it
Textiles (clothes, footwear and leather)
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.16 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Operating and monitoring machines to measure size of pieces of leather0.17
Operating and monitoring machines which form and make hats out of textiles, fur or leather0.17
Operating and monitoring machines which wind thread, twine, or yarn into balls preparatory to shipping or further processing0.17
Operating and monitoring machines which make miscellaneous articles such as braids or other trimmings0.15
Operating and monitoring machines which fold cloth into measured length0.14

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).