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Our candidates often ask us the difference between warehouse work and production work.
In simple terms, in a warehouse you will likely be moving, organising or packing bulk, raw or finished products. Working in a production environment will involve handling products while they are being manufactured or made.
Warehouse work may involve the following duties:
- ‘Goods in’ deliveries and checking for damaged or missing items
- Operating lifting equipment to move stock around the warehouse
- Checking stock levels and ensuring items are stored correctly
- Packing, wrapping and loading items to be dispatched
- Operating pallet trucks and Forklift trucks
- Cleaning the warehouse
- Working in a ambient, chilled or even frozen environment depending on the product being handled
The companies we work with provide free training so previous experience is not essential and tasks are very easy to learn so almost anyone can apply to become a warehouse operative.
Warehouse duties usually take place indoors however, depending on which company you are working for, some outdoor duties may also be part of your role. When working in this environment you will be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment such as safety shoes and a high visibility vest.
Warehouse worker skills and attributes
Although previous experience is not essential, it does help to have certain attributes such as:
- Working well as part of a team
- Being flexible and adaptable
- Having a good attention to detail
- Being physically fit
- Working to required deadlines
If you decide a warehouse career is right for you, you may also be interested in progressing into more senior positions. Over time and with additional experience you could ultimately become a team leader, shift supervisor or even a warehouse or operations manager.
Production work may involve following duties:
- Measuring, grading and feeding raw materials into production machinery
- Operating production line equipment, like a factory conveyor line
- Assembling goods as part of a production line
- Reporting equipment faults to maintenance staff
- Monitoring production and carrying out basic testing and quality checks
- Storing goods and raw materials in the factory or warehouse
- Using lifting equipment and forklift trucks
- Packing goods ready for shipment
- Cleaning and maintaining work areas and machinery
Some production companies may require work in a chilled environment, depending on the product being handled. If you choose to work in a food manufacturing facility you will also be expected to work to a high hygiene standard to prevent any contamination to products.
Tasks are generally easy to learn and if you are keen for new experience, our assignments provide great opportunities to learn.
Production worker skills and attributes
The following skills and attributes are often useful:
- Good attention to detail
- Dealing well with a fast pace environment
- Ability to work with others
- Some computer literacy as you’re often required to work with machinery
- Ability to follow strict processes and procedures
As you gain more experience, there are great opportunities to become a team leader, supervisor or quality controller. Eventually you could even pursue a career as a production or operations manager.
If you wish to find out more, speak to our consultants who will be able to help you with choosing the right role!
Categories: Rapid Insights
