Career library · Driving, transport and delivery
Warehouse assistant
Keeping stock findable, counted and moving
What people in this work actually do
Receive and check incoming goods, store them so they can be found, pick and pack orders, operate handling equipment, count stock, and record everything accurately in the system.
This may suit you if…
You are organised, you are physically fit, and you would rather be moving than sitting.
Physically demanding and repetitive, with targets measured closely. Shift work, including nights. Warehouses are often on the edge of towns, so travel can be long.
We show these because nobody else will.
What people get wrong about this
That there is no progression. Warehouse work leads to supervisory, inventory and logistics-coordination roles, and large operators train internally.
What this looks like in a smaller town
Distribution centres have opened near most larger towns as online shopping has spread, and entry usually needs Class 10 rather than any specialist course.
Ways into this work
There is almost always more than one route, and the cheapest is often perfectly respected.
Short warehouse and logistics course
Short skill course · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10
A one to three month course in warehouse and inventory work.
- How long
- 3 months
- What it costs
- Not yet verified
- Available near you?
- In district towns
How to do it
Find out whether any logistics or warehouse course is running in your district under the skill scheme.
Start at a warehouse and learn there
Learning on the job · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10
Join a warehouse or distribution centre directly and learn on the job.
- How long
- 6 months
- What it costs
- Not yet verified
- Available near you?
- In district towns
How to do it
Ask at the nearest distribution centre or large godown what they need to take someone on.
Skills that matter here
Measuring accurately
Getting a length, a weight or a quantity right.
Physical stamina
Being able to stand, walk or lift for a full working day.
Working with spreadsheets
Keeping a list, adding up a column, making a simple chart.
Working in a team
Doing your part and helping the group finish.
See whether this fits your family
School is one of five parts of growing up. See how your child is doing across all five, what to try next at their age, and what it would honestly cost in your area.
Start freeSources
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Short-term skill training
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
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National Skills Qualifications Framework
National Council for Vocational Education and Training
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National Career Service
Ministry of Labour and Employment