Table 1Transition record

forklift operatortowarehouse worker

A forklift operator already meets 27% of what the warehouse worker role asks for. The move turns on 28 required skills not yet in the profile.

From forklift operator

27%

Overlap1

To warehouse worker

15 Skills carried over

28 Required, not held

81 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 81

This move: 81 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the warehouse worker 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 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A warehouse worker 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 match goods with appropriate packaging according to security procedures handling and moving
already held follow stock control instructions communication, collaboration and creativity
already held use barcode scanning equipment handling and moving
already held operate package processing equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held pick orders for dispatching handling and moving
already held types of packaging used in industrial shipments services

All 15 carried skills, including the 12 the warehouse worker role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 51 missing skills fall into 11 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 13 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held assist in the movement of heavy loads required
required, not held clean industrial containers required
required, not held dispatch order processing required
required, not held identify damaged goods before shipment required
required, not held manage transport of goods from warehouse facilities required
required, not held pallets loading required
required, not held receive goods required
required, not held use warehouse marking tools required
required, not held load products for dispatch required
required, not held maintain stock control systems required
required, not held perform cleaning duties required
required, not held secure goods required
required, not held sort waste required

optional, not held receive shipment packaging information optional
optional, not held assemble goods optional
optional, not held clean warehouse optional
optional, not held manage packaging material optional

02 information skills 7 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held handle paperwork related to warehouse stock required
required, not held handle shipment paperwork required
required, not held monitor stock level required
required, not held operate warehouse record systems required
required, not held check for damaged items required
required, not held control of expenses required
required, not held have spatial awareness required

optional, not held ensure quality control in packaging optional
optional, not held monitor packaging operations optional
optional, not held oversee stock quality control optional
optional, not held analyse packaging requirements optional
optional, not held organise information optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 6 supplementary

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

optional, not held apply transportation management concepts optional
optional, not held handle returns optional
optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
optional, not held cooperate with colleagues optional
optional, not held follow written instructions optional
optional, not held handle customer complaints optional

04 management skills 2 required

required, not held manage warehouse inventory required
required, not held plan shifts of employees required

05 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held operate weighing machine required

optional, not held carry out ship-to-shore operations optional
optional, not held tend packaging machines optional

06 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held products coding system required

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a warehouse worker 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 15 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply techniques for stacking goods into containers skill
already held follow stock control instructions skill
already held follow verbal instructions skill
already held lift heavy weights skill
already held match goods with appropriate packaging according to security procedures skill
already held operate package processing equipment skill
already held operate warehouse materials skill
already held pick orders for dispatching skill
already held stack goods skill
already held stay alert skill
already held types of packaging used in industrial shipments knowledge
already held use different communication channels skill
already held use a warehouse management system skill
already held use barcode scanning equipment skill
already held work in a logistics team skill

The 5 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 constructing 1 required

required, not held use rigging tools required

08 working with computers 1 required

required, not held have computer literacy required

09 assisting and caring 2 supplementary

optional, not held apply procedures to ensure cargo complies with customs regulations optional
optional, not held handle fragile items optional

10 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 supplementary

optional, not held packaging engineering optional
optional, not held product packaging requirements optional

11 services 2 supplementary

optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional

23 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply procedures to ensure cargo complies with customs regulations optional
optional, not held apply transportation management concepts optional
optional, not held carry out ship-to-shore operations optional
optional, not held ensure quality control in packaging optional
optional, not held handle fragile items optional
optional, not held handle returns optional
optional, not held monitor packaging operations optional
optional, not held oversee stock quality control optional
optional, not held receive shipment packaging information optional
optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held adapt to changing situations optional
optional, not held analyse packaging requirements optional
optional, not held assemble goods optional
optional, not held clean warehouse optional
optional, not held cooperate with colleagues optional
optional, not held follow written instructions optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional
optional, not held handle customer complaints optional
optional, not held manage packaging material optional
optional, not held organise information optional
optional, not held packaging engineering optional
optional, not held product packaging requirements optional
optional, not held tend packaging machines optional

26 held skills the warehouse worker 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 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 work procedures 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 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 radio equipment skill
not needed by the target role prepare shipments in time skill
not needed by the target role shunt inbound loads skill
not needed by the target role stack empty pallets 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 use telescopic handlers skill
not needed by the target role weigh materials skill

5 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
optional, not held safety regulations for warehouses optional
optional, not held freight transport methods optional
optional, not held packaging engineering optional
optional, not held product packaging requirements 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.