Machine or forklift operators specialise in warehouse transportation and drive industrial vehicles to load and unload warehouse materials. They are responsible for shipping and receiving warehouse items and transporting materials to different locations within the facility.
This requires optimizing loads to ensure operational efficiency, securing loads to machines before transportation, inspecting vehicles for damage, scheduling vehicles for maintenance and repair, and operating and managing technical equipment.
Machine or forklift operators are also often responsible for managing inventory with RF scanning equipment, picking and dropping orders for shipment, identifying workplace safety hazards, and adhering to safety standards and production schedules.
Since machine or forklift operators often move sensitive cargo, their jobs require attention to detail, precision, and steady hands. They also need strong time management skills and to be able to work well with others.
A high school diploma or GED is sufficient for this role, but job seekers may need a forklift operation certificate as well.
Machine or forklift operators typically earn $13.68 an hour, which translates to $28,460 a year. The career is expected to grow by 4% between 2018 and 2028, creating 32,600 new jobs during this timespan.