Forklift truck operator
Career outlook for forklift truck operator
Average UK salary
£29,640
Currently employed in Scotland
3,200
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would load and unload goods and deliveries. You’d move them to and from storage areas in a warehouse or depot.
You’d need to be safety-conscious and responsible when using the forklifts and other trucks.
It would be important to be able to judge weights, distances and heights and have the physical co-ordination to operate the truck. There may be busy times when you have to work quickly.
You would:
- Load and unload goods from vehicles such as lorries or aircraft
- Move goods packed on pallets or in crates around the storage facility
- Stack goods in the correct storage bays, following stock control instructions
- Check loads are secure
- Stack empty pallets
- Do daily equipment checks, for example recharging the truck's battery
- Help to load and unload trucks by hand where necessary
- Perform other warehouse tasks like packing
You'd need to be able to follow written instructions and keep records.
You could work with various machines including counter-balance trucks, telescopic handlers, side-loading trucks and pedestrian-controlled pallet lifting equipment.
Working conditions
Hours
UK employment status
Full-time
88%
Part-time
9%
Self employed
3%
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- Listening
- Verbal communication
- Observation
- Attention to detail
- Concentrating
- Time management
- Taking responsibility
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Qualifications
There are no formal qualifications to get into this job but most employers value a good general education.
To become a forklift truck operator most employers will ask that you complete a training course, usually on the job, to show that you can operate the forklift safely.
Many of these courses will require good maths skills to help you work out weights and distances.
Useful subjects
- English
- Maths
- Technologies subjects, such as practical electronics
Helpful to have
Relevant work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Warehousing and Storage (SVQ level 2/3) or be willing to work towards qualifications once in a job.