Table 1Transition record

forklift operatortomaterials handler

A forklift operator already meets 20% of what the materials handler role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.

From forklift operator

20%

Overlap1

To materials handler

7 Skills carried over

17 Required, not held

79.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 79.6

This move: 79.6 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the materials handler role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the forklift operator profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A materials handler role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a forklift operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held follow stock control instructions communication, collaboration and creativity
already held use barcode scanning equipment handling and moving
already held pick orders for dispatching handling and moving
already held operate warehouse materials working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held shunt inbound loads working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held stack goods handling and moving

All 7 carried skills, including the 5 the materials handler role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 33 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 handling and moving 8 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held dispatch order processing required
required, not held load heavy items on pallets required
required, not held pallets loading required
required, not held use warehouse marking tools required
required, not held dispose of non-hazardous waste required
required, not held maintain stock control systems required
required, not held secure goods required
required, not held sort waste required

optional, not held transport construction supplies optional
optional, not held assemble goods optional
optional, not held clean warehouse optional
optional, not held dispose of hazardous waste optional
optional, not held pack goods optional

02 information skills 3 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held operate warehouse record systems required
required, not held process incoming construction supplies required
required, not held inspect construction supplies required

optional, not held check compatibility of materials optional
optional, not held calculate needs for construction supplies optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held maintain physical condition of warehouse required
required, not held implement efficiency plans for logistics operations required

optional, not held follow written instructions optional
optional, not held order construction supplies optional

04 business, administration and law 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held products coding system required
required, not held inventory management rules required

optional, not held road transport legislation optional

05 assisting and caring 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held follow health and safety procedures in construction required

optional, not held handle fragile items optional

06 management skills 1 required

required, not held manage warehouse inventory required

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a materials handler role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 7 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held follow stock control instructions skill
already held operate warehouse materials skill
already held pick orders for dispatching skill
already held stack goods skill
already held use different communication channels skill
already held shunt inbound loads skill
already held use barcode scanning equipment skill

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 services 3 supplementary

optional, not held hazardous materials transportation optional
optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional

08 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held operate GPS systems optional

09 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 supplementary

optional, not held drive vehicles optional

16 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held check compatibility of materials optional
optional, not held handle fragile items optional
optional, not held hazardous materials transportation optional
optional, not held road transport legislation optional
optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held transport construction supplies optional
optional, not held assemble goods optional
optional, not held calculate needs for construction supplies optional
optional, not held clean warehouse optional
optional, not held dispose of hazardous waste optional
optional, not held drive vehicles optional
optional, not held follow written instructions optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional
optional, not held operate GPS systems optional
optional, not held order construction supplies optional
optional, not held pack goods optional

34 held skills the materials handler role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role act reliably skill
not needed by the target role apply company policies skill
not needed by the target role apply techniques for stacking goods into containers skill
not needed by the target role carry out stock rotation skill
not needed by the target role conduct forklift inspections skill
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
not needed by the target role estimate distances skill
not needed by the target role execute vehicle maintenance skill
not needed by the target role execute working instructions skill
not needed by the target role follow procedures to control substances hazardous to health skill
not needed by the target role follow signalling instructions skill
not needed by the target role follow verbal instructions skill
not needed by the target role follow work procedures skill
not needed by the target role lift heavy weights skill
not needed by the target role maintain equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain warehouse database skill
not needed by the target role match goods with appropriate packaging according to security procedures skill
not needed by the target role meet picking standards skill
not needed by the target role monitor goods movement skill
not needed by the target role monitor vehicle repairs skill
not needed by the target role operate forklift skill
not needed by the target role operate package processing equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate radio equipment skill
not needed by the target role prepare shipments in time skill
not needed by the target role stack empty pallets skill
not needed by the target role stay alert skill
not needed by the target role store warehouse goods skill
not needed by the target role transfer stock skill
not needed by the target role transport dangerous goods skill
not needed by the target role types of packaging used in industrial shipments knowledge
not needed by the target role use a warehouse management system skill
not needed by the target role use telescopic handlers skill
not needed by the target role weigh materials skill
not needed by the target role work in a logistics team skill

6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held products coding system required
required, not held inventory management rules required
optional, not held hazardous materials transportation optional
optional, not held road transport legislation optional
optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional

Index

Other moves recorded from forklift operator

Full index of moves from forklift operator

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.