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First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of material-moving machine and vehicle operators and helpers.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

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

  • Inspect or test materials, stock, vehicles, equipment, or facilities to ensure that they are safe, free of defects, and consistent with specifications.
  • Prepare, compile, and submit reports on work activities, operations, production, or work-related accidents.
  • Examine, measure, or weigh cargo or materials to determine specific handling requirements.
  • Maintain or verify records of time, materials, expenditures, or crew activities.
  • Review orders, production schedules, blueprints, or shipping or receiving notices to determine work sequences and material shipping dates, types, volumes, or destinations.
  • Recommend and implement measures to improve worker motivation, equipment performance, work methods, or customer services.

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: 4 to 6 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: 4 to 6 years

This is not an entry-level job. Most people spend about 4 to 6 years working as machine or vehicle operators first, learning equipment and safety rules, before moving into a supervisor role. Short certificates or apprenticeships help you get started.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school and take math, shop, or technical classes that build hands-on and safety skills for working with equipment.

  2. Equipment operator certification or apprenticeship

    under 1 year

    Complete a short training course or apprenticeship to learn how to safely run forklifts or other material-moving equipment, which gets you hired as an operator.

  3. Material Moving Machine Operator

    4-6 years

    Work as a forklift, loader, or other material-moving equipment operator, build a safety record, and learn how the whole operation runs, which prepares you to lead others.

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

    Ongoing

    Direct and coordinate the daily work of operators and helpers, assign tasks, check safety, and handle schedules and problems on the floor.

Where it can lead

  1. Warehouse Manager

    3-5 years of experience first

    You move from running one team on the floor to overseeing the whole warehouse, including budgets, staffing across shifts, and performance targets; strong records and management training help you get there.

  2. Distribution Center Manager

    5-8 years of experience first

    You manage several operations or a large site, plan inventory and transport, and lead other supervisors, which usually requires proven leadership and logistics experience.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, auto, or technical classesHands-on work with machines and tools builds the mechanical comfort this career depends on.
  • Take math and reading coursesReading equipment manuals and tracking inventory or shipment counts rely on solid math and writing skills.
  • Get a part-time job in a warehouse, store stockroom, or farmEarly exposure to moving materials and working on a team shows how a material-handling operation runs.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationClubs like SkillsUSA or similar local groups offer leadership practice and skills competitions.
  • Learn basic workplace safetyTaking a first-aid or safety course shows you value the rules that supervisors enforce every day.

In college

  • Take logistics, supply chain, or industrial technology coursesClasses in material handling and operations give you the big-picture knowledge supervisors need.
  • Earn an equipment operator or forklift certificationA short certificate makes you job-ready for operator roles right away.
  • Work a campus or part-time job with equipment or inventoryJobs in campus warehouses, shipping, or dining storerooms let you practice teamwork and safe handling.
  • Join a student organization in operations or logisticsClubs related to supply chain or engineering help you build leadership and networking experience.
  • Pursue a summer internship or co-op at a distribution center or manufacturerHands-on time with real operations teams shows you how supervisors manage daily work.

Tips for getting started

  • Get your equipment operator certification early and keep a clean safety record, since employers look for both when deciding who to promote.
  • Volunteer for extra responsibility like training new operators or leading a shift; this shows supervisors you can lead before you have the title.
  • Ask a current supervisor what they do each day so you can see whether the work fits what you enjoy.

Related jobs that often lead here

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.

College majors that lead here

  • Ground Transportation Certificate: typical pay 1 year after finishing $48,327 a year · typical debt $6,365

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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