Material handlers
Career Overview
Material handlers:
- Handle, move, load and unload materials by hand or using a variety of material handling equipment
- Work for transportation, storage and moving companies
- Also work for a variety of manufacturing and processing companies and retail and wholesale warehouses
Job Titles
Duties
Material handlers (manual):
- Load, unload and move products and materials by hand or using basic material handling equipment
- Move household appliances and furniture on and off moving trucks or vans
- Do other material handling activities, such as counting, weighing, sorting, packing and unpacking
Material handlers (equipment operators):
- Run winches and other loading devices to load and unload materials on and off trucks, railway cars and loading docks of warehouses and industrial establishments
- Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses
- Connect hoses or pipes and operate equipment to load and unload liquid petroleum, chemicals or other products into or from tank cars, tank trucks or storage tanks
- Operate equipment to dump materials such as coal, ore and grain into or to remove materials from railway cars, trucks or other vehicles
- Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles to elevators, bins or other storage areas
- May do other activities, such as opening containers and crates, filling warehouse orders, assisting in taking inventory and weighing and checking materials
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
27,800% Employed Full Time
53%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions
- Work is done near or with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools that may be a source of accident or injury
- Workers may be exposed to toxic chemicals, noise and vibration
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Some secondary school education may be required.
Physical strength is required for manual material handlers who work with heavy materials.
For more information, please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.
Workers who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
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.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
27,800Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 900 | 3.2% |
| Kootenay | 535 | 1.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 21,055 | 75.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 540 | 1.9% |
| Northeast | 275 | 1.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 2,225 | 8.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 2,275 | 8.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
11,230Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 230 | -0.2% |
| Kootenay | 140 | 0.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 9,010 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 190 | 1.0% |
| Northeast | 100 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 800 | 0.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 760 | 0.6% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 2,560 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,500 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 1,880 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,650 |
| Manufacturing | 1,500 |
Resources
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Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP)www.stepbc.ca
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Trades Training BCwww.tradestrainingbc.ca
