Forklift Operators - Employment & Outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

Employment

Major employers:

Warehouses and storage companies
Building material and supply companies
Grocery wholesale companies
Local and long distance trucking companies
Temporary worker agencies

Outlook

This career is expected to grow at an average rate. Growth will be due to the growing number of warehouses. However, companies are installing automated conveyor belts to move things in storage facilities and warehouses which will limit growth.

Job openings will occur as people leave the career or retire. Job prospects may be best for people comfortable using a tablet or hand-held scanners.

Forklift Operators (CIS 100089)

Location	Employment	&	Growth		>>>>	Annual openings
			This occupation	All occupations
Illinois	29,829 Very large	&	3.4%	2.7%	>>>>	3,012 Very High
Champaign Area	365 Large	&	4.1%	1.9%	>>>>	38 Few
Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area	707 Very large	&	2.7%	-1.2%	>>>>	71 High
Cook County	9,748 Very large	&	2.9%	3.0%	>>>>	977 High
Decatur Area	238 Large	&	7.1%	0.1%	>>>>	26 Few
DeKalb-Elgin-Aurora Area	1,710 Very large	&	5.6%	4.0%	>>>>	178 High
Du Page County	3,404 Very large	&	3.2%	3.7%	>>>>	343 High
Edwardsville Area	1,566 Very large	&	5.4%	4.4%	>>>>	163 Very High
Jacksonville-Carlinville-Litchfield Area	155 Large	&	2.6%	-2.2%	>>>>	15 Few
Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area	476 Large	&	-0.4%	-0.1%	>>>>	45 Moderate
Lake County	1,460 Very large	&	2.9%	2.6%	>>>>	147 High
McHenry County	349 Large	&	7.7%	6.1%	>>>>	38 Few
Mt Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area	418 Large	&	4.1%	0.2%	>>>>	43 Moderate
Northwest Illinois Area	1,058 Very large	&	4.6%	5.1%	>>>>	109 High
Peoria-Bloomington Area	1,009 Large	&	4.3%	1.3%	>>>>	103 Moderate
Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area	313 Large	&	3.5%	-1.6%	>>>>	31 Few
Rock Island-Moline Area	382 Large	&	1.3%	1.8%	>>>>	37 Moderate
Rockford Area	906 Very large	&	5.2%	2.4%	>>>>	94 High
Shawnee National Forest Area	76 Small	&	1.3%	-0.3%	>>>>	7 Very few
Springfield Area	296 Large	&	3.7%	-0.8%	>>>>	30 Few
St Louis-Belleville Area	456 Large	&	-0.2%	0.2%	>>>>	44 Few
Vermilion County	254 Very large	&	-18.5%	-5.1%	>>>>	17 Few
Will County	4,502 Very large	&	4.3%	5.4%	>>>>	460 Very High
United States	792,500 Very large	&	1.1%	3.1%	>>>>	76,400 Very High