Warehouse operative CV example with forklift training and pick rates
A warehouse operative CV should name the lift trucks you are trained on exactly as your training record states them, then give your picking or packing output per hour, the scanner or warehouse system you used, and your shift pattern.1
Written 13 October 2026. CitedCV. How we write our guides
First, find your training certificate: there is no forklift licence
Job adverts ask for a 'forklift licence', yet the National Careers Service says there is no forklift licence as such and that some adverts simply call the training certificate a licence. HSE's lift truck FAQ adds that there is no state system for training lift truck operators as there is for drivers on the public highway. In the US, OSHA's rule makes the employer certify each operator. Either way, the document behind your CV line is a training record, so dig it out before you write anything.
| Copy from the record | Why the reader needs it | How it looks on the CV |
|---|---|---|
| Truck type | Training on one type does not cover another without conversion training (HSE) | Counterbalance and reach truck |
| Training provider | HSE keeps no central copy; the provider holds the record | Provider name, town |
| Accrediting body, if any | Accreditation is voluntary in Great Britain | Name of the body printed on the certificate |
| Date of test or evaluation | US operators must be evaluated at least once every three years | Month and year |
| Employer and site | Training is tied to the truck and the workplace | Where you used it, for how long |
UK and US rules side by side
Recruiters in each country read the same CV line through their own rules. The table sets the British Approved Code of Practice route next to the American federal standard for powered industrial trucks.
| Question | Great Britain (HSE) | United States (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l)) |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a licence? | No state licensing system; employers must give adequate training under PUWER 1998 | No licence; the employer certifies that training and evaluation were done |
| Stages of training | Basic training, specific job training, familiarisation | Formal instruction, practical training, evaluation in the workplace |
| Length | Long enough to meet the L117 appendices, typically 3 to 5 days | No course length stated in paragraph (l) |
| Record | Training certificate from the provider; no central register | Employer certification with name, training date, evaluation date and the trainer or evaluator |
| Re-assessment | No set interval; re-assess from time to time, for example after non-use, an accident or a change in work | Evaluation at least once every three years; refresher after unsafe operation, an accident or near miss, a new truck type or changed conditions |
| New employer | May assess and re-test you if no certificate can be produced | Prior training need not be repeated if it fits the truck and you are evaluated competent |
What this means for one CV line
Write the truck, the date and who trained you, and stop there. 'Counterbalance lift truck, basic training and test, March 2025, [provider]; site authorisation at [employer]' tells a British reader what they need. For a US employer, 'Certified by [employer] on sit-down counterbalance and order picker, last evaluated June 2025' maps directly onto paragraph (l)(6).
If you lost the certificate
HSE says to contact the training provider that issued it, your previous employer or the body that accredited the training. Until you have a copy, write the training with its approximate date and say the certificate is being reissued; do not invent a reference number.
Picking rates and other numbers worth writing
None of the official sources read for this page sets a pick rate. It is each employer's own measure, counted in units, lines, cases or orders per hour, and it changes with the product and the system. A number without its unit means little to the next warehouse, so always write both, plus accuracy if your site measured it.
- Pick rate with its unit and the site target: 165 units an hour against a target of 150
- Picking accuracy from the site report: 99.7% over 12 weeks
- Pallets received or put away per shift
- Loads dispatched per shift and the cut-off you worked to
- Stock counts done and the discrepancies you resolved
- Weeks on a peak or seasonal contract and whether you were kept on
Name the system you scanned into
O*NET's profile for stockers and order fillers lists warehouse management systems, inventory software, voice picking software and handheld computer software among the technology used, and its industrial truck operator profile flags WMS as in demand. If you used a named WMS or a voice-directed headset, say so: it shortens your induction.
Worked example: picker moving into a reach truck role
Example only. Daniel Reid, his employers and every figure are invented to show how each line is built. Use only numbers you can back with a payslip, a site report or a reference.
- Daniel Reid | Northampton | 07xxx xxxxxx | daniel.reid@example.com
- Lift truck training: counterbalance (basic training and test, March 2024) and reach truck (conversion training, January 2025); certificates from the training provider
- Warehouse Operative, ambient grocery distribution centre | April 2023 to present | 4 on, 4 off, days and nights
- Picked an average of 165 units an hour against a site target of 150, using a voice-directed picking headset.
- Kept picking accuracy at 99.7% on the weekly site report across 2025.
- Put away 60 to 80 pallets a night shift on the reach truck at heights the site authorised.
- Ran the start-of-shift truck check and logged two hydraulic faults that were repaired before use.
- Seasonal Picker, online retail fulfilment centre | October to December 2022 | offered a permanent contract
| Line | Evidence behind it | Interview question it prepares for |
|---|---|---|
| 165 units an hour | Weekly performance sheet | What slowed you down on a bad shift? |
| 99.7% accuracy | Site quality report | How did you catch a wrong pick? |
| Reach truck conversion | Training certificate | Which heights and racking are you used to? |
| Daily truck checks | Check sheets | What do you do if a check fails? |
Why the truck types are spelt out
Daniel's training covers two truck types, and HSE says an operator trained on one type cannot safely operate another without conversion training. Writing 'forklift trained' would hide exactly what a reach truck vacancy needs to know.
Skills warehouse employers list
| Skill (NCS warehouse worker profile) | A line that proves it |
|---|---|
| Thoroughness and attention to detail | Checked delivery paperwork against goods received and reported shortages before signing |
| Organising time and workload | Cleared the despatch wave before the 22:00 trailer cut-off on peak nights |
| Working under pressure | Covered a second aisle during peak without dropping below target |
| Basic computer or handheld device tasks | Booked stock moves on the handheld terminal and corrected location errors |
| Working well with others | Trained four new starters on the voice picking system |
| Practical, hands-on ability | Built mixed pallets that passed the load check first time |
Getting in without forklift training
Training is an advantage but not an entry condition. The NCS forklift driver profile says employers may train you after you start, and its warehouse worker profile says employers often provide forklift training after probation. In the US, BLS says hand laborers and material movers need no formal education and usually learn on the job in anything from a few days to a month.
- Apply for picker, packer or goods-in roles and say you want lift truck training.
- Look at the Level 2 Supply Chain Warehouse Operative apprenticeship the NCS lists, about a year long.
- Take seasonal work: the NCS notes many roles are temporary or seasonal, and a permanent offer is a strong CV line.
- Write GCSE English and maths grades if you have them; the NCS says some employers ask for grade 4 (C) or above.
- If you work on construction sites, the NCS forklift profile says you also need a CSCS card or equivalent.
Sources, read 13 October 2026
- HSE: Lift-truck training (stages, course length, conversion and refresher training) and Lift trucks FAQ (no licence, PUWER 1998, lost certificates, minimum age, re-assessment).
- HSE: Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck training (accreditation is voluntary; Accrediting Bodies Association).
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l): operator training, certification, three-yearly evaluation, refresher triggers, avoiding duplicate training.
- National Careers Service: Warehouse worker and Forklift driver job profiles.
- O*NET OnLine 53-7065.00 and 53-7051.00; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Hand Laborers and Material Movers.
Training rules are updated from time to time, so open the linked HSE or OSHA page before you book a course.
Who this page is not for
- HGV and delivery drivers: road licences and driver qualifications are a different CV.
- Port and dock operatives: HSE says lift truck operators in ports must be at least 18; elsewhere the minimum is above school leaving age.
- Warehouse supervisors and managers: they need team, KPI and budget lines that this example leaves out.
- Telehandler and construction plant operators: site cards and plant categories sit outside this guide.
Applying abroad and next steps
If you trained outside the UK and want to work in a British warehouse, the guide for international applicants explains the format a UK employer expects. Moving into driving in Germany has its own guide for truck drivers, and the general guide to jobs abroad covers the rest. Write the truck types in English as your certificate names them.
CitedCV can turn your shifts, truck types and numbers into a CV in English, German or Turkish, using only the facts you give it and asking when a date or a unit is missing. Its free ATS checker, with no account, shows whether your file reads cleanly before you upload it.
Questions people ask
Do I need a forklift licence to work in a warehouse?
No. In Great Britain there is no state forklift licence, and many warehouse roles need none at all; employers often train you after probation, according to the National Careers Service.
How do I put forklift certification on a resume?
Name each truck type, the training or evaluation date and who trained or certified you. In the US, OSHA requires the employer to certify the operator, so name that employer.
What is a good pick rate to put on a CV?
There is no official figure. Write your rate with its unit and your site target, for example 165 units an hour against 150, and add accuracy if it was measured.
Does my forklift certificate transfer to a new employer?
Not automatically. HSE says a new employer may assess and re-test you, and OSHA lets an employer skip repeat training only after evaluating you as competent.
How often does OSHA require forklift recertification?
At least once every three years an operator must be evaluated. Refresher training is also required after unsafe operation, an accident or near miss, or a new truck type.
Can I get a warehouse job with no experience?
Yes. BLS says most hand laborers and material movers learn on the job, and the NCS lists direct applications and a Level 2 apprenticeship as routes in.
What should a warehouse operative CV include?
Truck training by type, pick or pack rates with units, accuracy, the systems you scanned into, your shift pattern and any peak or seasonal contracts with their outcome.
What if I lost my forklift certificate?
Ask the training provider that issued it, your previous employer or the accrediting body for a copy. HSE holds no central register of lift truck training.
Sources
- HSE: Lift-truck trainingwww.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/lift-truck-training.htm
- HSE: Lift trucks, frequently asked questionswww.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/faqs.htm
- HSE: Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck trainingwww.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/hscrecognition.htm
- OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.178 Powered industrial truckswww.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.178
- National Careers Service: Warehouse workernationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/warehouse-worker
- National Careers Service: Forklift drivernationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/forklift-driver
- O*NET OnLine: Stockers and Order Fillers 53-7065.00www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-7065.00
- O*NET OnLine: Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 53-7051.00www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-7051.00
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Hand Laborers and Material Moverswww.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/hand-laborers-and-material-movers.htm