How To Become A Warehouse Operative
As a warehouse operative you collect goods that have been delivered to the warehouse or depot, then pack them for dispatch to superstores or wherever they need to go.
What Is A Warehouse Operative?
Similar jobs: Warehouse worker, warehouse picker
There is bound to be a warehouse near you, so this is a fantastic early role that gets you a salary, training, social environment (warehouse are often quite social places) and experience!
You can treat this as a bit of cash in your pocket, but warehouse work is also a step towards a wide range of logistics careers. You can find out more about driving HGVs (heavy goods vehicles), or seek out extra paid training in anything from transport management to working with the supply chain.
What Does A Warehouse Operative Do?
You’ll be working in a warehouse, and you might be doing standard working hours, but you could also work shifts including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. You’ll need a certain level of physical ability, because you’ll be carrying things, and you might need to wear protective clothing.
Example activities in your working day:
- pick up delivered goods
- check for any damaged or missing items
- transport stock around the warehouse with special lifting equipment
- do stock takes and make sure all the stock is stored safely in the right place
- pack and wrap goods for dispatch, then help to load them up onto transportation vehicles
- carry out warehouse cleaning duties
How Much Money Can You Earn As a Warehouse Operative?
These LMI Job Trends give you a sneak peek of how much you could earn starting out for this career, and how much your salary could grow with experience.
Average Salary For Warehouse Operative Jobs
Recent labour market information says you can earn on average between £16,000 and around £22,000 a year as a warehouse operative in the UK.
The starting salary can be around £16,000, increasing with experience.
Your starting salary can vary because of factors like level of experience, training, or location. Your salary as a warehouse operative will increase over time as you build skills, knowledge and experience.
Skills You Need To Become A Warehouse Operative
Useful Skills To Put On Your CV:
- Teamwork skills – working well with others
- Self-belief skills – being able to learn from mistakes and improve
- Self-management skills – you can organise your time and workload!
- Communication skills – you can listen to instructions, and share any issues that come up with your manager
- Basic digital skills – you might need to carry out some tasks, like stock takes, using a handheld computer
How Do You Get These Skills?
Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.
Build Your Skills With the FREE Young Professional Programme
What Qualifications & Training Do You Need For Warehouse Operative Careers?
School, College And Training
You can go straight into this job after leaving school. Sometimes you don’t need any qualifications at all. Then again, employers might ask for GCSEs at grade 4 (C) in English and maths, or equivalent qualifications. You could also need basic digital skills. If you can use a mobile phone and send an email, you already have the level of IT skills needed for this job.
Some people build up their experience by doing temping or seasonal work as a warehouse operative. For example, it can get very busy around the Christmas period, so more workers are always required around this time!
Apprenticeships
You can get into this job through completing a supply chain warehouse operative apprenticeship. With an apprenticeship, you’ll get a salary and training, and you’ll also learn a lot about the whole supply chain sector. It’s a useful way to explore what’s involved in the whole story of getting products from A to B, and what aspects you might want to train further in as a full logistics career.
You will usually need around four GCSEs, including English and maths, or the equivalent, for an intermediate supply chain warehouse operative apprenticeship.
Career Progression And Development
What Work Experience Do You Need For Warehouse Operative Jobs?
Work Experience Tips
It’s not a must-have, but it can help if you’ve had any past experience of being trained to use a forklift! If you haven’t, it’s something you will probably get trained in once you start.
Getting Experience
Try getting some temping work in a warehouse, especially during busy seasonal periods like Christmas.
Examples of relevant work experience include:
- Work shadowing (even if it’s just for a day)
- Work placements in a company
- Work placements on a degree course
How To Find Warehouse Operative Jobs: Next Steps
- Supply chain warehouse operative intermediate apprenticeship
- Warehouse operative traineeship
- Warehouse worker seasonal work
- Temporary warehouse worker jobs
You can learn more about training opportunities and careers in warehousing when you visit The Chartered Institute for Logistics and Transport.
Take a look at what training, courses and opportunities are available for young people!
These Youth Friendly Employers Offer Great Opportunities
These Youth-Friendly Employers might be able to help you get great fantastic logistics jobs, training or experience! Take a look.
Logistics Career Tips & Opportunities
Transport and Logistics Career Guides
View job descriptions with average UK salary, useful qualifications and a variety of routes into this career.
Resources And Links
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