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Forklift truck operator

Carry out practical tasks in forests and woodlands to help care for and protect the environment.

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: LMI for All

Weekly

£570

Average

Monthly

£2,470

Average

Yearly

£29,640

Average

3,200

people are currently employed

Low growth

100 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's 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.

Hours

You would normally work between 37 and 42 hours a week. Shiftwork, including nights, is common and overtime is often available.

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Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • taking responsibility
  • time management
  • concentrating
  • attention to detail
  • observation
  • verbal communication
  • listening

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

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Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Skills for Work: Automotive Skills

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.

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.

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