Description
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
Work Styles
- Self-Control
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
Tasks
- Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
- Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
- Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
Work Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
Detailed Work Activities
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
- Electronic mail software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Abilities
- Control Precision
- Multilimb Coordination
- Far Vision
- Response Orientation
- Manual Dexterity
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Coordination
- Equipment Maintenance
- Time Management
Knowledge
- Mathematics
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Telescopic Boom Cranes - Fixed CabCertifying Organization
National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Lift Director-Mobile CranesCertifying Organization
National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators
Type
Core
Certificate name
Heavy Equipment Operator: BackhoeCertifying Organization
National Center for Construction Education and Research
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Heavy Equipment Operator: ForkliftCertifying Organization
National Center for Construction Education and Research
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Train-The-Trainer Forklift OperatorCertifying Organization
Crane Institute of America
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $40,426 |
| Median (50%) | $45,026 |
| High (90%) | $49,176 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $44,966 |
| Mid Level | $45,805 |
| Senior Level | $48,254 |
| Expert Level | $43,518 |
Employability
There are currently 770,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 791,900 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 3%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 3%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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