two male movers, one carrying a box and the other carrying a rug

Material handlers

(NOC 75101)
Annual Earnings
$41,712
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
No Formal Education
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
10,650

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

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.

Annual Earnings

$41,712

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$32.69/hr
Median$20.00/hr
Low$16.75/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

27,800

% Employed Full Time

53%
Source: 2021 Census

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.

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:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Bin filler
Coal handler
Conveyor console operator
Forklift truck operator
Freight handler (except air transport)
Furniture mover
Lumber piler - building supplies
Material handler
Railway car loader
Stockpiler
Storage worker - material handling
Truck loader
Warehouseman/woman

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
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

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!

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.

60%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

60%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

56%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

55%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

53%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

52%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

52%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

52%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

51%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

50%

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

27,800
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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%
Source: 2021 Census

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 (2023-2033)

10,650
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 210 -0.4%
Kootenay 140 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 8,120 1.2%
North Coast and Nechako 270 1.9%
Northeast 110 0.3%
Thompson-Okanagan 890 0.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 920 1.1%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Transportation And Warehousing2,700
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services2,150
Retail Trade2,140
Wholesale Trade1,540
Manufacturing1,130
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources