California CareerZone

Job Definition: Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.

Interests: Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Tasks: Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.; Turn valves and open chutes to dump, spray, or release materials from dump cars or storage bins into hoppers.; Hook tow trucks to trailer hitches and fasten attachments, such as graders, plows, rollers, and winch cables to tractors, using hitchpins.; Signal workers to discharge, dump, or level materials.; Operate or tend automatic stacking, loading, packaging, or cutting machines.; Weigh materials or products, and record weight and other production data on tags or labels.; Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and auxiliary equipment, such as cleaning, lubricating, recharging batteries, fueling, or replacing liquefied-gas tank.; Manually load or unload materials onto or off pallets, skids, platforms, cars, or lifting devices.; Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, and boxes, and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.; Move levers and controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams and swivel-hooks, hoists, and elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, and stack material.

Skills: Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.; Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.; Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.; Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.; Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Knowledge: Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.; Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.; English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.; Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.; Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Education: Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed; These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.; Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Wages: In 2007, the California average annual wage was:

$21,292 for entry level workers, and $39,398 for experienced workers.

Outlook: During 2006, there were approximately 72,400 people employed in this field in CA.; We estimate that in 2016 there will be 77,100 employed in CA. This represents an increase of 470 new positions each year (.60%). Additionally, 1,830 jobs per year will become available due to employee turnover.

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