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Forklift Operator

Kaitaraiwa Waka Uta

Forklift operators operate vehicles that have a lifting platform for shifting and stacking heavy articles such as pallets, bales, crates, containers or cartons.

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Secondary education

There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a forklift operator, but employers usually prefer you to have NCEA Level 1 with maths and English.

Study fields

Study levels

  • Certificate
  • Up to NCEA Level 3

Useful experience

Useful experience for forklift operators includes:

  • warehouse and coldstore work
  • stevedoring
  • work as a loader-driver
  • any driving work.

Experience driving heavy vehicles or any work in manufacturing, or transport and logistics is also helpful.

What you will do

Forklift operators may do some or all of the following:

  • maintain forklifts
  • operate forklifts in warehouses, construction sites and wharves
  • ensure forklift loads are stable and safe
  • fill in paperwork, such as delivery forms, and electronically record the movement of goods.

Skills and knowledge

Forklift operators need to have:

  • good driving skills
  • thorough understanding of the operation and limitations of a forklift
  • ability to judge distances, weights and volumes
  • knowledge of the code of practice for forklift operators, including health and safety regulations
  • knowledge of the fuel requirements of different forklifts including diesel, LPG, CNG (compressed natural gas) and battery-operated models.
Pay

Forklift operators usually earn

$23-$24

per hour

Job opportunities
Good
Chances of getting a job as a forklift operator are good due to steady demand.
Length of training
<1
year of training required.

Industry

Transport and Logistics

Forklift operators operate vehicles that have a lifting platform for shifting and stacking heavy articles such as pallets, bales, crates, containers or cartons.

Similar jobs in this industry

Entry requirements

To become a forklift operator you need a Forklift Operator Certificate. The certificate shows that you have been trained according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's code of practice.

  • To operate a heavy forklift, you need to have a Class 2 driver's licence.
  • To operate a forklift on a road or in a public space, you must have a Class 1 driver's licence with a forklift (F) endorsement.

Chances of getting a job

Demand for forklift operators is steady because:

  • high volumes of goods are being imported and exported, and forklift operators are needed to unload and move these goods
  • the transport and logistics industry – where many forklift operators are employed – is large
  • turnover among forklift operators is high, with many seeing the role as a temporary one.

About 4,300 people work as forklift operators in New Zealand.

Forklift operators work in a wide range of industries

Forklift operators may work for:

  • manufacturers
  • distributors
  • freight companies
  • port companies
  • forestry companies
  • horticulture companies
  • supermarkets.

Many companies own or lease a forklift but do not employ a full-time forklift operator. Instead, they employ staff in other positions who are qualified to use a forklift.

Find out more about training

Competenz (ITO)
0800 526 1800 - info@competenz.org.nz - www.competenz.org.nz

Progression and specialisations

Forklift operators may progress to:

  • work with heavier machinery such as 15-tonne forklifts or straddle carriers in ports
  • work as dispatch co-ordinators or inventory controllers within the company they work for
  • supervisory or management positions within the company they work for.

They may also set up their own businesses, or become forklift operator trainers.

Working conditions

Forklift operators:

  • usually work regular business hours, but may work evenings and weekends as some warehouses are 24-hour operations
  • may be required to work extra hours during busy periods
  • work in warehouses, factories, coldstores, timber yards and shipping terminals
  • work in most weather conditions.

Physical Requirements

Forklift operators need to have good hand-eye co-ordination and reflexes, as well as good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses). They also need a good level of strength, as they may need to lift heavy products (up to 20 kilograms).

Useful personal qualities

Forklift operators need to be:

  • accurate
  • co-ordinated
  • careful and alert
  • practical
  • able to follow instructions.

Industry

Transport and Logistics

Forklift operators operate vehicles that have a lifting platform for shifting and stacking heavy articles such as pallets, bales, crates, containers or cartons.

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