The work
As a yard person or yard operative, you might work for a construction supplier, or in a road haulage depot, retail distribution centre or factory warehouse. Your duties would usually include:
- loading and unloading delivery vehicles by hand or with a forklift truck
- sorting and grading stock
- moving supplies to storage areas
- picking and packing orders
- keeping work areas clean and tidy
- answering questions from customers.
As a yard supervisor or manager, you would have extra responsibilities, such as:
- organising staff shift rotas and workloads
- stock checking
- serving customers
- dealing with order payments
- checking customer orders are completed properly and on time
- staff training
- health and safety.
Hours
Your normal working week would be around 37 to 40 hours, which may include shift work including evenings and weekends.
You would be outside in all weather conditions and it could get dusty and dirty, especially in a building supplies yard. The work could be physically demanding, with heavy lifting at times.
Income
- Yard operatives usually earn between £12,000 and £16,000 a year
- Operatives with forklift or delivery duties could earn between £15,000 and £18,000
- Yard supervisors can earn up to £20,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Entry requirements
You do not always need qualifications to do this job, although some employers could ask for GCSEs in subjects like maths and English, or equivalent qualifications. It may also be helpful if you have experience of warehouse or manual work and/or a forklift truck licence.
You may be able to get into this career through an Apprenticeship with a distribution centre, building supplier or factory warehouse. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit the Apprenticeships website.
Training and development
You would usually be trained in the workplace, under the supervision of a yard manager and an experienced yard operative. Some companies will put you through forklift training after a few weeks if you do not already have a licence.
You may be encouraged to work towards a qualification in Warehousing and Storage at levels 2 or 3. For more information about this qualification, visit the Skills for Logistics website.
If you progress to supervisor level, your company may give you the opportunity to train for logistics management qualifications.
More information
Skills for Logistics 
12 Warren Yard
Warren Farm Office Village
Milton Keynes
MK12 5NW
Tel: 01908 313360
www.skillsforlogistics.org
Opportunities
Vacancies are advertised in the local press and Jobcentre Plus. You could also apply directly to local companies.
With experience, you could be promoted to yard or warehouse supervisor and eventually become a yard manager.
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Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The road haulage industry is part of the logistics sector, represented by the Skills for Logistics Sector Skills Council, which also includes: air freight; wholesaling; storage and warehousing; freight forwarding; postal services; and couriers. Logistics is the movement and supply of all goods (or freight) from raw materials, through all stages of the manufacturing process to the delivery of the finished product to companies and consumers. This is known as the ‘supply chain.’ Nearly 2,320,000 people work in the logistics sector, which accounts to 8% of the UK workforce. It has been estimated that the logistics sector is worth £86.54 billion to the UK economy.
Road haulage is the distribution, movement and supply of goods by road. Road haulage, which includes removal services, is the third largest industry in the logistics sector. The amount of freight that was moved in the UK increased by 46% between 1980 and 2007. The majority of the increase is due to goods being moved by road.
Key facts:
- 13% of the logistics sector workforce is within freight transport by road.
- Road haulage now accounts for 68% of all goods moved compared with 53% in 1980.
- A total of 220,000 people are employed in UK road haulage in the UK, which is estimated to be 13% of the entire logistics sector workforce.
- There are 34,000 road haulage workplaces in the UK.
- Freight transport by road employs the smallest proportion of women and people with a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background than other logistics industries.
- 12% of the industry workforce is self‐employed.
Jobs in the industry range from: LGV driver, LGV training instructor, distribution manager, removals worker, road transport manager, van driver, transport planner, transport scheduler, road haulage load planner, drivers mate, supply chain manager, operations manager, yard person, training manager, marketing co‐ordinator, operations director, freight account manager, financial planning manager, general manager.
National and regional data
East Midlands – Of the 156,600 employees working in logistics businesses in the East Midlands, 20,600 work in road haulage. This equates to 13% of the logistics workforce in the East Midlands.
East of England – Of the 186,700 employees working in logistics businesses in the East of England, 28,100 of these individuals work in road haulage. This is 15% of the logistics workforce in the region.
London – Of the 178,800 employees working in logistics businesses in London, 8,900 work in road haulage. This accounts for 5% of the logistics workforce in the region.
North East – Of the 55,000 people employed in logistics businesses in the region, 9,900 people are employed in road haulage. This is 18% of the logistics workforce in the region.
North West – Of the 193,400 people working in logistics businesses in the North West, 31,300 people are employed in road haulage. This accounts for 16% of the logistics workforce in the region.
South East – Of the 256,300 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, the road haulage industry employs 21,800 employees. This equates to 8% of the logistics workforce in the region.
South West – Of the 135,100 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, 15,700 work in road haulage. This accounts for 12% of the logistics workforce in the region.
West Midlands – Of the 187,500 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, 26,100 work in road haulage. This accounts for 14% of the logistics workforce in the region.
Yorkshire and the Humber – Of the 158,100 employees working in logistics businesses in the region, 23,300 work in road haulage. This accounts for 15% of the logistics workforce in the region.
[N.B. Data derived from Annual Population Survey, 2008, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007 and Inter‐Departmental Business Register, 2007.]
Career paths
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