How To Become A Lift Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a lift operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Lift operators operate chair lifts in ski resorts. Thanks to their work, skiers don't have to trek up a mountain themselves just to go down again, instead they can sit in a lift and let machinery do the work for them. Lift operators need to know how to operate lifts and inspect the machinery so that it doesn't break down, leaving skiers stranded in the air. However, their job does not involve machines alone. Lift operators also need to have excellent communications skills to provide service to skiers and help them use the lift, especially beginners that may not know how to protect themselves. Lift operators also need an eagle eye for safety standards.

Formal education is not a requirement to become a lift operator. In fact, only about 12% of lift operators have a bachelor's degree. A high school diploma and a year or two of experience providing customer service are the most important qualifications.

Lift operators earn an average salary of $30,391 a year. However, they need to be ready to spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in the cold.

ScoreLift OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,309

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.3

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 2.61%

Black or African American 15.44%

Hispanic or Latino 17.05%

Unknown 4.46%

White 59.58%

Gender

female 10.95%

male 89.05%

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

Key steps to become a lift operator

Explore lift operator education requirements

Most common lift operator degrees

High School Diploma

53.2 %

Bachelor's

14.6 %

Associate

14.3 %

Start to develop specific lift operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	17.49%
Fork-Lift	13.79%
Electric Pallet Jack	10.00%
Safety Rules	9.03%
Power Saws	4.10%

Complete relevant lift operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lift operators 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 lift operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lift operator resumes.

Research lift operator duties and responsibilities

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Use AS400 to take yarn out of inventory.
Load and unload ship cargo using wenches or other hoisting devices.
Check forklift for problems such as fluid levels, tires and forks.

Prepare your lift operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lift operator 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 lift operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Lift Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Lift Operator 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 Lift Operator resume.

Apply for lift operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a lift operator 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 lift operators rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Lift Operator 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