Warehouse operative
Picking, packing, loading and moving stock. The most common way into logistics, and the trade where a forklift ticket pays for itself fastest.
Also called: Picker, packer, stores person, FLT driver
What it pays
£23,000 to £30,000 a year, or £11.44 to £14 an hour. A counterbalance or reach ticket adds roughly £1 to £2 an hour.
The hours
Usually 37.5 to 45 hours on shifts. Nights and four on four off patterns pay a premium.
How you get in
- No qualifications needed to start
- Employers look for reliability and fitness
- A forklift ticket moves you up quickly
The tickets and qualifications employers ask for
Counterbalance forklift (RTITB or ITSSAR) Reach truck VNA for high bay sites Manual handling
What you should not be paying for
Many employers pay for the forklift ticket outright once you are through probation. Ask at interview before you pay for one yourself.
What people like about it
- You can start on Monday with no experience
- Clear route up: picker to FLT to team leader
- Overtime is usually there when you want it
What is genuinely hard
- Targets and pick rates are measured
- Cold stores and early starts
- Agency work is common at the entry level
Where it leads
- Forklift driver
- Team leader or shift supervisor
- Stock control and inventory
- Warehouse manager
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