Warehouse Forklift Training: Finding A New Career in 2018

Forklift trucks are not all the same, and there are various different models which do different jobs required in warehouses and other industrial environments. Each of these different warehouse forklifts has a different type of career associated with it, with its own individual career path, skills and training.

Here are some of the warehouse forklift varieties you could drive professionally, and the differences in how they operate, as well as the career opportunities and salaries they can each command.

Order Pickers

An order picker is a particular kind of equipment that means the operator can pick out individual items from a warehouse. This differs from the kind of forklift that needs to handle large loads of many identical items at once.

Someone working as an order picker, or using order picker equipment, can expect to earn an average of £27,000 per year if working full time.

Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) Forklifts

The clue about what this particular type of forklift truck does is in the name. Very narrow aisle, or VNA forklifts, are used to navigate tight warehouse spaces. They use the smallest possible range of motion to move around warehouses, reach high shelving and stack or retrieve pallets, meaning there’s more space for stock and more money a company can make.

Because of the added value VNA forklift operators bring to a company, you can expect to earn a minimum of £15,000-£20,000, rising to as much as £35,000 per year.

Powered Pallet Truck

These are the most basic and easily-operated forms of forklift trucks. Powered pallet trucks, or electric pallet trucks, are used to move pallets around a warehouse or other industrial environment.

Because of their simplicity and ease of operation, these kinds of trucks are a great entry point into warehouse driving. You can expect to earn between £15,000-£20,000 per year when driving one of these.

Sideloader

Sideloader trucks are another machine that do exactly what you’d think they do from their name. The operator of the truck operates it from a sideways position, giving them full visibility which is particularly handy when moving the long and heavy items it was designed for.

Sideloader operators can expect to earn between £15,000 and £20,000 per year full time.

Scissor Lift

A platform truck that raises up by opening out its criss-crossing bars like scissors is commonly called a scissor lift. This kind of truck can reach high shelving even in narrow aisles where it has no room for a counter balance.

When driving one of these, you can expect to earn around £20,000 to £25,000 in return for your cool head for heights.

At HGVT, we can train you on all of these different machines and more warehouse forklift licences. Of course, there’s no need to stick to just one form of equipment, and if you know how to drive several of these machines then you can become a priceless warehouse employee and take your pick of jobs.