How long does it take to become a Forklift Driver?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become a forklift driver. That is the time it takes to learn specific forklift driver skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A Forklift Driver: What It Is and Career Path

What is a forklift driver and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A forklift driver operates a powered industrial truck equipped with lifting devices to move and transport heavy goods. They load and unload trucks, organize products, and move materials around the facility. Forklift drivers must be trained and certified to operate their equipment safely, as they work in close proximity to other workers and machinery. They also maintain the forklift's mechanical functions and report any issues or accidents that may arise.

ScoreForklift DriverUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $33,476

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.3

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 2.53%

Black or African American 15.69%

Hispanic or Latino 20.25%

Unknown 4.42%

White 56.28%

Gender

female 8.98%

male 91.02%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

8.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.8

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.8

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Forklift Driver?

Pros

Can earn a good wage
Opportunities for overtime and shift differential pay
Job stability
Opportunities for advancement or specialized training
May have access to benefits such as health care and retirement plans

Cons

May require working in noisy environments
Requires sitting or standing for long periods of time
May require working in dusty or dirty environments
Work schedules may include weekends, evenings, and holidays
Limited opportunities for creativity or problem-solving

Key steps to become a forklift driver

Explore forklift driver education requirements

Most common forklift driver degrees

High School Diploma

60.8 %

Diploma

13.9 %

Associate

12.3 %

Start to develop specific forklift driver skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	25.43%
Electric Pallet Jack	12.04%
Safety Procedures	7.80%
Load Trucks	4.81%
Stand-Up Forklift	4.13%

Complete relevant forklift driver training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New forklift drivers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a forklift driver based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real forklift driver resumes.

Research forklift driver duties and responsibilities

Stack crates following inventory control instructions and stack empty pallets.
Operate fork-lift, unload, load, stage, pull and distribute pallets.
Assist railroad crews with determining and decoding logistics.
Order selector, scanning, cleaning, forklift driver, data entry.

Prepare your forklift driver resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your forklift driver resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a forklift driver resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Forklift Driver Resume templates

Build a professional Forklift Driver resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Forklift Driver resume.

Apply for forklift driver jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a forklift driver job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do forklift drivers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Forklift Driver reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022

Pros

It saves time and makes work easier and enhance greater output

Cons

To be surcharge when there's a damage on goods through accident

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

The ability to gain the trust of a customer to know satisfied and happy with the assignments set all personal belongings and artifacts have not been touched or moved and deliver to him one time it is a sure note for return business which Fields customer service and repetitive returns safety orientated and knowledgeable have a special detail and driving skills safety assured first and foremost

Cons

The sitting gets blow drug out sometimes I pretty much get all the ins and outs out of the way before I start the detail or accept the assignment so there's really no Lykes to say about I love my job

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Pros

Independent. I'm my own boss.

What is a forklift driver and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Forklift Driver?

Forklift Driver career paths

Key steps to become a forklift driver

Explore forklift driver education requirements

Most common forklift driver degrees

Start to develop specific forklift driver skills

Complete relevant forklift driver training and internships

Research forklift driver duties and responsibilities

Prepare your forklift driver resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Forklift Driver Resume templates

Apply for forklift driver jobs

How Did You Land Your First Forklift Driver Job

Average forklift driver salary

How do forklift drivers rate their job?

Forklift Driver reviews

Forklift Driver FAQs

How long does it take to become a Forklift Driver?

Search for forklift driver jobs

Forklift Driver jobs by state