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First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of helpers, laborers, or material movers, hand.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $62,890 Median per year · $30.23/hr Most earn $43,360–$96,150

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Counsel employees in work-related activities, personal growth, or career development.
  • Inspect equipment for wear and for conformance to specifications.
  • Assess training needs of staff and arrange for or provide appropriate instruction.
  • Inventory supplies and requisition or purchase additional items, as necessary.
  • Provide assistance in balancing books, tracking, monitoring, or projecting a unit's budget needs, and in developing unit policies and procedures.
  • Prepare and maintain work records and reports of information such as employee time and wages, daily receipts, or inspection results.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 54,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't break this career out by industry.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This isn't an entry-level job. Most people first spend about 2 to 4 years doing hands-on helper, laborer, or material-handling work, often with a certificate or apprenticeship along the way, before moving into a supervisor role.

  1. High school diploma or GED

    4 years

    Build reading, math, and teamwork skills, and show you can show up on time and follow safety rules, since both matter on any job site or warehouse floor.

  2. Certificate or apprenticeship in material handling, forklift safety, or a trade

    6 months to 2 years

    Formal training in safety and equipment handling shows employers you know the job and helps you qualify for better-paying hands-on roles.

  3. Laborer or Material Mover (entry-level warehouse, construction, or production work)

    2 to 4 years

    Learn how work flows, how to handle people and equipment safely, and how to train newer workers, which are the skills a supervisor uses every day.

  4. First-Line Supervisor of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

    Ongoing

    You now assign tasks, schedule crews, check quality and safety, and act as the link between workers and management.

Where it can lead

  1. First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

    4 to 6 years in a supervisor role of experience first

    You move from directing hand laborers to overseeing crews that run forklifts, cranes, and other material-moving equipment, which usually requires deeper equipment knowledge.

  2. Operations Manager

    3 to 5 years as a supervisor of experience first

    You oversee a whole site or department instead of one crew, which means budgets, scheduling across teams, and planning rather than daily floor work.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, math, and English classesShop builds hands-on skills and comfort with tools, while math helps with measuring, counting inventory, and reading work orders.
  • Get a part-time or summer job in a warehouse, store stock room, or landscaping crewReal work experience counts toward the 2 to 4 years of hands-on work this career usually needs.
  • Join a leadership or team club, such as FFA, DECA, or a sports teamLeading a team or coordinating a group project builds the same skills a supervisor uses every day.
  • Volunteer with a food bank or community clean-up projectHelping organize volunteers and moving supplies shows you can work hard and coordinate people.
  • Ask a supervisor you know if you can shadow them for a daySeeing how a supervisor plans shifts and handles problems gives you a realistic picture of the job.

In college

  • Take courses in logistics, supply chain, or industrial technologyThese classes teach how materials move through a facility, which is the core of supervising material movers.
  • Get a summer internship or part-time job in a warehouse, distribution center, or construction siteHands-on experience is what employers look for, and it counts toward the 2 to 4 years usually needed before this role.
  • Earn a forklift, OSHA safety, or first-aid certificationCertifications are often inexpensive and show employers you already know safe work practices.
  • Join a student organization in supply chain, business, or tradesLeading a club event or project builds scheduling, communication, and teamwork skills that supervisors need.
  • Take a job where you train or lead new workers, even informallyShowing new hires how to do a task is early practice for the training and coaching part of supervising.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask your supervisor or a trainer to show you how they plan shifts and handle problems. Watching how a supervisor works is one of the best ways to learn the job early.
  • Get safety certifications such as forklift or first-aid training early. They are often inexpensive and make you a stronger candidate for crew lead roles.
  • Look for part-time or summer jobs in warehouses, landscaping, construction, or grocery stock rooms. Hands-on experience is the main thing employers look for in this career.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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