Hoist and Winch Operators
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Transportation & Material Moving
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Also called: Fork Truck Driver, Forklift Driver, Forklift Operator, Spotter Driver
- Typical education
- High school diploma
- 73% of workers surveyed
- Preparation needed
- Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Programs in this directory
- 54
- that lead to this career
What industrial truck and tractor operators do
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Typical tasks
- 1Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
- 2Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- 3Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- 4Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
- 5Inspect product load for accuracy and safely move it around the warehouse or facility to ensure timely and complete delivery.
- 6Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.
- 7Perform routine maintenance on vehicles or auxiliary equipment, such as cleaning, lubricating, recharging batteries, fueling, or replacing liquefied-gas tank.
- 8Operate or tend automatic stacking, loading, packaging, or cutting machines.
- 9Turn valves and open chutes to dump, spray, or release materials from dump cars or storage bins into hoppers.
Key skills
- Operation and Control3.9/5
- Operations Monitoring3.2/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
Importance rated by workers in this career (1–5).
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics3.0/5
Importance rated by workers in this career (1–5).
Technology used
- Warehouse management system WMS
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
How to become one
- Education
- The most common level among workers surveyed is a high school diploma (73%). Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Where to study
| Program | Institution | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Transportation | Bishop State Community College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Bevill State Community College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Miller-Motte College-Arizona Automotive Institute United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Arizona Western College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Central Arizona College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Central Arizona College United States |
Associate Degree |
| Ground Transportation | Cochise County Community College District United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Eastern Arizona College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Pima Community College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Yavapai College United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | University of Arkansas at Monticello United States |
Certificate |
| Ground Transportation | Black River Technical College United States |
Certificate |
Showing 12 of 54 matching programs.
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This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. We have modified some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Programs are linked with the CIP–SOC crosswalk from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Education levels and preparation describe the United States and may differ in other countries.