How to Become a Material Handler/Forklift Operator

When we speak of material handling, the image of a forklift appears but its connection in the past did not seem as obvious. Its demand was manifested during the industrial revolution when machine intensive manufacturing processes sparked a motivation to create a device for hoisting materials over short distances.

During the first world war, a large number of working males volunteering for the military caused a shortage in manpower. As a result, a company called Ransomes, Sims Jeffries invented lift trucks to transport and lift loads to increase work productivity. At the same time, this catapulted the invention of standardized pallets, a flat structure increasing storage and transport efficiencies also prompting the redesigning towards a fork-style lift truck. It was not until the second world war that forklifts were mass adopted as they were used for loading war supplies, such as ammunition and food to vehicles.

With the rise of e-commerce and a boom in creative production, warehouses and Giga factories are becoming commonplace for material handlers to thrive in. The primary role of a material handler is to load, unload, and move products across these facilities. They are also involved in sorting freight, managing inventory using scanners, and handling outbound and inbound logistic processes. Employers require a high school diploma or G.E.D, and material handlers get paid, on average, $13.50 per hour.