It can be an arduous process to think about career changes or developing new skills. One role you may have considered is training to become a forklift driver. Let’s explore the question; Is being a forklift driver a good job?
Forklift driving presents many opportunities in various work environments. It is a valuable pathway. Training up and attaining a license can serve as a broad springboard into various sectors, including but not permitted to construction, manufacturing, shipping and logistics. There are plenty of opportunities in a range of industries if you can get a license.
A worthy opportunity offers different pathways for later on, and this has to be factored into answering; “Is being a forklift driver a good job?”
Another clear point to make in answering this question is salary. How much does the average forklift operator make? The average starting salary for forklift drivers is £24000, so it’s worth the small fee to attain the license for this starting point, as this is needed. If you have no experience, you will need to look to secure your forklift license. This is a relatively straightforward process that usually only takes two days to complete.
What Qualities do You Need to be A Forklift driver?
If you’re thinking about becoming a forklift driver and you are reading this because you have no experience and are considering a career shift, it’s worth looking at what sort of qualities a forklift driver needs too, as this may help you determine whether you’d fit the forklift driver role.
Focus
One of the most important qualities to have is focus, for a multitude of reasons. The loads you are carrying will likely be valuable or important to someone, so mistakes at the wheel need to be minimised. Yards and warehouses that forklift drivers usually operate in can be dangerous. Health and safety policies and procedures on site need to be strict, this again requires an ability to maintain focus for long periods of time.
Adaptability
Another quality you’ll need to become a forklift driver is adaptability. It’s likely that the space you’re working in as a forklift driver will have other machinery in it. A company employing forklift drivers will often train them up to operate other machinery too, such as scissor lifts or side loader trucks. This means that training to be a forklift driver will likely result in other opportunities to train and develop your skills with other machinery too. There are a huge range of skills that you can learn alongside the forklifting that will serve to benefit your career, and widen your skill set.
Is it A Good Job?
Is being a forklift driver a good job? Getting a license to become one is relatively cheap and only takes a few days, the starting salary is above the national average and whilst the role itself requires patience and an eye on safety at all times, the potential of the role is extremely high, and there are many site foreman and managers in the construction and logistics industries who started their careers as forklift drivers, it’s certainly a career worth pursuing.
It’s also worth noting that the demand for certified forklift drivers has doubled in the past four years and as of 2021, there is a forklift driver shortage in the UK. If anything, it’s an ideal time to train and start this varied, important role with plenty of scope.