Order picker

Order pickers work in warehouses or stores. They collect together all the items listed on a customer’s order form and send them to the relevant department to be packed and dispatched.

Work activities

In warehouse and wholesale work, “picking” means taking items from stock to match a specific order. Someone who does this is called an order assembler or an order picker. The work may overlap with that of a warehouse assistant. When a customer or company places an order, the items are listed on a picking slip. The order picker, using a hand-held scanner will read the slip, select the correct items from the warehouse or storage area and put them into a trolley or assembly carrier. The picker, or their supervisor, checks that the brand and quantities are correct. The load is then sent to be packed or taken to the collection/delivery bay.

The picker may monitor and report on the level of stock held. If an item is out of stock, the picker may decide to send an alternative to the customer. Large or heavy items may have to be moved with a forklift truck or other machinery. In a small warehouse, the picker may be expected to pack goods and help with filling shelves. Pickers usually work indoors in spacious and airy warehouses, which may be cold in winter. They have to wear safety shoes in case anything heavy falls on their feet.

Personal qualities and skills

To do this job well, you’ll need:

• To be able to work quickly and accurately.
• Good organising skills as some warehouses can stock thousands of items.
• Experience of using hand-held scanners.
• A good memory to remember where various items have been stored.
• To be physically fit, as the work can involve lifting and quite a lot of walking.
• Teamworking skills.

You may need some experience of using heavy lifting equipment. Some employers use colour-coded systems for stock identification so applicants may require normal colour vision.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates vary from company to company. You’ll typically start on around £14,000, rising to £23,000 over time.

Order pickers usually work a 37–40-hour week, which may include shift work, evening and weekend work. Overtime, part-time work and temporary work is common.

Demand for order pickers is steady. Some workers move from one type of warehouse work to another, or from picking to packing.

In larger warehouses, particularly those operated by online order companies, jobs are graded and there are promotion prospects to supervisory posts. It is also possible to move into management. Wholesalers may specialise in cash-and-carry or online order operations, or in a range of products such as food or building materials. All wholesalers and most retailers have warehousing and stock control jobs.

Employers include major retailers, mail order companies, warehousing and distribution firms and manufacturing companies. Opportunities for pickers occur with firms in towns and cities throughout the UK. Jobs tend to be located in towns and on industrial estates.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job or Find an Apprenticeship services.

Entry routes and training

You won’t need any qualifications to become an order picker. Some people enter this career via a level 2 (intermediate) supply chain warehouse operative apprenticeship.

Training is usually on-the-job and new entrants work with experienced workers while learning different tasks. No further study is required.

Experienced order pickers could move towards supervisory positions. With training, some go into roles such as forklift truck operator.

Qualifications

No educational qualifications are usually needed, but the ability to read and write clearly, and do basic number work is helpful. To begin an intermediate apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

It’s useful to have experience gained working in a warehouse or other storage area.

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