Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

warehouse order pickertomaterials handler

A warehouse order picker already meets 32% of what the materials handler role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.

From warehouse order picker
32%
Overlap1
To materials handler
11 Skills carried over
14 Required, not held
70.3 Difficulty2
Career overlap Distant match

32%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

70.3/ 100

1 Share of the materials handler role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the warehouse order picker 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.

Why

Why this move works

A materials handler role treats 8 of its required skills as things a warehouse order picker already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • maintain physical condition of warehouse
  • maintain stock control systems
  • manage warehouse inventory
  • operate warehouse record systems
  • pick orders for dispatching
  • secure goods

What stands in the way is 14 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 11 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 warehouse order picker background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held use warehouse marking tools handling and moving
  • already held pick orders for dispatching handling and moving
  • already held maintain physical condition of warehouse communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held operate warehouse record systems information skills
  • already held assemble goods handling and moving
  • already held maintain stock control systems handling and moving

All 11 carried skills, including the 8 the materials handler role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 29 missing skills fall into 8 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 5 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 dispose of non-hazardous waste required
  • required, not held sort waste required
  • optional, not held transport construction supplies optional
  • optional, not held use barcode scanning equipment optional
  • optional, not held clean warehouse optional
  • optional, not held dispose of hazardous waste optional
  • optional, not held pack goods optional
02 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held follow stock control instructions required
  • required, not held implement efficiency plans for logistics operations required
  • required, not held use different communication channels required
  • optional, not held order construction supplies optional
03 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary
  • 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
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 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 2 supplementary
  • required, not held operate warehouse materials required
  • optional, not held shunt inbound loads optional
  • optional, not held drive vehicles optional
06 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

2 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 11 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held maintain physical condition of warehouse skill
  • already held maintain stock control systems skill
  • already held manage warehouse inventory skill
  • already held operate warehouse record systems skill
  • already held pick orders for dispatching skill
  • already held secure goods skill
  • already held stack goods skill
  • already held use warehouse marking tools skill
  • already held assemble goods skill
  • already held follow written instructions skill
  • already held safety regulations for warehouses knowledge
The 2 learning areas not shown above
Skill to acquire Tier
07 services 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held hazardous materials transportation optional
  • optional, not held freight transport methods optional
08 working with computers 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held operate GPS systems optional
15 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 shunt inbound loads optional
  • optional, not held transport construction supplies optional
  • optional, not held use barcode scanning equipment 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 freight transport methods optional
  • optional, not held operate GPS systems optional
  • optional, not held order construction supplies optional
  • optional, not held pack goods optional
20 held skills the materials handler role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role check shipments skill
  • not needed by the target role comply with checklists skill
  • not needed by the target role deliver outstanding service skill
  • not needed by the target role ensure efficient utilisation of warehouse space skill
  • not needed by the target role identify damaged goods before shipment skill
  • not needed by the target role lift heavy weights skill
  • not needed by the target role maintain material handling equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role maintain warehouse database skill
  • not needed by the target role manage transport of goods from warehouse facilities skill
  • not needed by the target role operate chainsaw skill
  • not needed by the target role operate material handling equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role operate voice picking systems skill
  • not needed by the target role process customer orders skill
  • not needed by the target role process orders from online shop skill
  • not needed by the target role store warehouse goods skill
  • not needed by the target role types of packaging used in industrial shipments knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use packaging equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role warehouse operations knowledge
  • not needed by the target role warehousing regulations knowledge
  • not needed by the target role weigh shipments 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
  • required, not held inventory management rules required
  • optional, not held hazardous materials transportation optional
  • optional, not held road transport legislation optional
  • optional, not held freight transport methods optional
Index
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.