How Can Getting A Forklift Certification Enhance Your Job Prospect?

If you’re looking to expand your job prospects, getting certified to operate a forklift can seriously pay off. Let’s talk about how adding this handy skill can launch your career.

Loads of industries rely on forklifts to move materials and inventory around. Being a licensed operator makes you way more hireable for all sorts of roles. Plus it shows you’re eager to learn specialized skills.

In this post, we’ll break down the ins and outs of getting Forklift Certification and why it’s totally worth it. Let’s get rolling.

Why You Need a Forklift License

You might be wondering – can’t anyone just hop on a forklift and start driving it around a warehouse? Nope. Operating a forklift safely requires training and getting officially certified.

See, these powerful machines can be dangerous in the wrong hands. You need to learn proper procedures to avoid accidents that could injure yourself or others.

By getting certified, you prove to employers that you know how to operate a forklift responsibly and are qualified for roles requiring forklift operation.

What Jobs Require Forklift Certification?

There are loads of great careers that look for or even require you to have your forklift license:

• Warehouse workers
• Logistics coordinators
• Construction crew members
• Factory machine operators
• Shipping and receiving clerks
• Freight handlers
• Stockers and inventory managers
• Lumbar yard assistants
• Crane operators
• Mining and excavating laborers

And many more. Having that certification on your resume is a huge advantage when applying for these kinds of hands-on roles.

How Do You Get a Forklift License?

Earning your forklift certification is a simple process:

1. Enroll in a training course. In-person or online classes cover safety procedures and how to operate different types of forklifts. Courses range from 1 day to 2 weeks.
   
2. Study and practice. Get familiar with controls and learn safe driving techniques. You’ll have hands-on practice operating a forklift.
   
3. Pass a written test. Ensure you understand safety protocols and operating procedures. Some places also have a driving test.
   
4. Get your certificate. Once you pass, you’ll receive an official certification with your name stating you are licensed to operate a forklift.
   

Many vocational colleges, industry associations, and forklift manufacturers offer certification courses, often at affordable rates. Your local OSHA office can provide links to qualified programs.

It’s also smart to renew your forklift certification every 3 years or so to stay up-to-date on the latest safety procedures. Renewal courses are shorter than the initial training.

What Will I Learn in Forklift Training?

A proper forklift certification program covers all the key stuff you need to know, like:

• Driving basics – accelerator, brakes, steering, maneuvering
• Proper loading/unloading of pallets and materials
• Safely driving on ramps and uneven ground
• Watching for pedestrians and avoiding collisions
• Following safety standards and traffic rules
• Knowing forklift load capacities and stability
• Hazardous material handling
• Maintaining control on slopes
• Inspecting forklifts before operation
• Refueling and recharging procedures

The hands-on practice is invaluable for getting comfortable behind the controls. Employers will see you have the complete skill set for forklift operation.

What Are the Key Benefits of Getting Certified?

Beyond just qualifying you for more jobs, getting forklift certified offers some excellent perks:

• Higher pay. Forklift operators earn above-average hourly wages with overtime potential.
  
• Useful lifelong skill. The training sticks with you so you can operate forklifts at any job.
  
• Safety knowledge. You learn to protect yourself and others with safe protocols.
  
• Better employment chances. Hiring managers see you have specialized abilities.
  
• Opportunity to advance. It can be a stepping stone to supervisor roles.
  
• Variety of work environments. You can work in warehouses, construction sites, lumber yards, factories – anywhere that uses forklifts.
  

When you’re starting out in your career, stocking up on certifications that improve hiring potential is so valuable. That forklift license signals you have skills that set you apart.

Forklift Careers Offer Great Options

Let’s look closer at a few of the many career paths that require forklift operation skills:

Warehouse Worker

• Zip around huge warehouses transporting, sorting, and stacking inventory. It’s fast-paced but satisfying work.

Logistics Coordinator

• Manage shipments and personnel. Forklift skills help you understand logistics processes.

Construction Laborer

• Help build huge structures by unloading equipment and supplies delivered to work sites.

Shipping and Receiving Clerk

• Forklifts enable you to get products loaded on and off trucks for transport.

Machine Operator

• Move raw materials and finished products around manufacturing facilities.

Win-Win: Better Job Prospects + Higher Pay

As you can see, forklift skills open lots of doors to interesting careers with solid pay.

Personnel managers know that certified operators can be productive right off the bat. You already have the specialized abilities to operate safely and effectively compared to someone who would need extensive training.

So you can see why including that forklift license on your resume and job applications makes you way more hireable.

And once in the job, you can expect to earn higher hourly wages than many starter roles. Forklift operation is considered a specialized trade skill that commands better pay.

Getting certified is a painless process that pays off big time in new job opportunities and earning potential. Such a smart investment that will serve your whole career.

Next Steps to Get Certified

Alright, sold on getting your forklift certification? Awesome. Here are some tips for next steps:

• Search for accredited training programs in your area or online. Ask local trade schools and warehouses for recommendations too.
  
• Study transportation and warehouse safety basics to prep for the written test.
  
• Practice operating video games that simulate driving a forklift (yes, they exist.).
  
• Look at job listings you want and see which require or prefer forklift certification.
  

Conclusion 

As you can see getting a forklift certification can pen up a plethora of job opportunities, so go and get your certification now.