Occupation
Materials handler
Materials handlers move raw materials, components, and finished goods between stores, production lines, and despatch. They pick to work orders, feed lines so they do not run dry, and keep stock records matching what is physically there. Powered equipment such as forklifts and pallet trucks is usually part of the job, with its own training requirements.
Also known as: Material handler · Stores person · Production materials operative · Line feeder · Warehouse operative (production)
Occupation content
Part of Manufacturing, production and quality
What the work involves
- Pick and stage materials against production work orders and delivery schedules
- Move pallets and containers using forklifts, pallet trucks, and other powered equipment
- Book stock movements, receipts, and issues into the inventory or ERP system
- Check incoming deliveries against paperwork and quarantine damaged or unexpected stock
- Support stock counts and investigate discrepancies between system and physical stock
- Keep aisles, racking, and load areas safe, clear, and correctly labelled
How people commonly enter
- Direct entry with employer training plus certification for any powered equipment operated
- A short warehousing, logistics, or materials handling course
- Progression from general production or despatch work
- A supply chain or warehousing apprenticeship where one is offered locally
Typical training: Short course or on-the-job training
Licensing: Certification common, not usually required
Typical work context
Warehouse · Physically active · Team based · Shift work · Fast paced
Related interests
Realistic (hands-on) · Conventional (organizing)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
- Data checking and clerical accuracy
- Safety judgment
- Attention and concentration
- Perceptual speed
- Numerical reasoning
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Manufacturing, production and quality.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- O*NET OnLine — occupation search: material handler · United States
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- Canada Job Bank — Search job profiles · Canada
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- UK National Careers Service — Forklift driver · United Kingdom
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Manufacturing, production and quality in Canada, not a figure for Materials handler. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Manufacturing, production and quality family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Manufacturing, production and quality: education pathways
Some roles in Manufacturing, production and quality may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Manufacturing, production and quality: licensing
Find jobs
These are live, user-controlled searches on each source's own site for “ Materials handler”. Novus Learn does not fetch, store, or rank these results, and job availability never changes your exploration match score.
- Search Canada Job Bank · Canada
- Search USAJOBS · United States federal
- Search EURES · European Union / EEA
- Search Indeed · International (choose location on Indeed)