A Day in the Life of a Forklift Technician: Meet David

Since he was young, David P., 27 of Sweet Valley, Pa. loved to tinker with things. It’s no surprise that after a string of trade and production jobs the handy man landed a job as a forklift technician.

People sometimes take for granted where stuff comes from. But David knows. Day in and day out, he visits logistic centers, warehouses and other storage centers. Some of these are in freezers and some measure in at a over a million-square feet; all are filled with ‘stuff’ waiting to be shipped to stores. Forklifts and high tech lift trucks help stock, store, load and unload the things we need in every day life.

Meet David:

Current job :
Forklift technician for a dealership of a major forklift brand.

Length at current job:
Three years.

Tell me a little about your position and what you do on a day-to-day basis.
Well, my position is to go to a customer’s location and repair any breakdowns on their forklifts. If my day doesn’t consist of breakdowns, we have a scheduled maintenance list where you service client equipment for preventative maintenance. Also, when a customer gets new equipment, we have to install it. Soon as I roll into town, I call the dispatch to see if there are breakdowns. If not, I do maintenance.

What are your customers like? What type of people do you serve?
Most of our customers are warehouses and distributions centers—people who have to move material around warehouses. Some examples are frozen food warehouses, clothing warehouses, candy distributors, etc. Generally, they’re fair as long as you get there in a timely fashion. There are a few that no matter what you do, you cannot please.

Who are your coworkers, meaning what type of people do you work with? Are you in a team environment? Do you work independently?
We have seven guys in our territory, with one lead tech. We work independently, but we also work as a team to accomplish our goals. Sometimes we work together. We really communicate to make a smooth operation.

What keeps you motivated to go to work each day?
Money. Independence. I don’t have a boss hanging over me all day. I pretty much make my own schedule. That’s what really gets me up in the morning; knowing that I don’t have a boss.

What do you like best about your job?
Having a free vehicle and gas to go to work with. Sometimes perks are getting free stuff from customers, like candy. Again, no boss.

What do you like least about your job?
When the customer is really giving you a hard time, and you have a complicated breakdown. If the customer needs that truck, the pressure is on.

Reflect back from Day One to now. How have you evolved in your current job? How have you maybe evolved as a person?
From day one it was really intimidating because you are just getting familiar with the particular equipment you are working with, like if you’ve never been a forklift technician. You have to know your territory, where your customers are located and that can be overwhelming. Also, how to get inside the buildings and where to go and not to go once you are on the property.

Now that I’ve been there for three years, I got to know the customers and got more efficient at repairing the equipment so my job is a lot easier now. Most techs that start don’t make it a year in our business, so I feel that I made it through the hurdles.

Outside of work, I’ve gained more patience to deal with people and be a little more sociable.

What advice would you give someone who is seeking the same line of work?
Learn. Take advice from your coworkers that have been there for years. Ask tons of questions. Be coachable.

Where do you hope to go with this job, or in your career in general?
If our area expands and our lead tech gets promoted to supervisor, I’d like the position of lead tech. I like coordinating things and I like a smooth operation and I feel that I could do a good job at it. I really want my wife-to-be’s writing career to take off so she can earn the money and I can open my dream ATV/motorcycle repair shop.

How did your education or past experiences prepare you for this job?
As a kid I’d always be in the garage working on go-karts and dirt bikes and ATVs. Then as I got out of school I worked at an automotive shop. I had a strong mechanical and electrical background, so it helped me out a lot with everyday issues on the job.

Are there any challenges in your job? If so, how do you handle them?
Yes. Lots of challenges. For one, trying to keep the customer satisfied. Second, if a difficult problem occurs, you have to have the resources to figure out the problem and get the customer’s truck up and running.

Any funny stories?
(laughs) When I was repairing a lift in the maintenance shop an operator came by and smashed into a fence. He jumped off the truck, but was still attached to the safety harness and flew back into the truck. (laughs) He didn’t see me laughing though. (laughs again.)

Any injuries?
I was pounding in an axel shaft when a piece of the metal flew off and braised my forehead. Blood gushed out.

What is your proudest accomplishment at the job?
Sticking with it and really getting to know my job through the thick and thin.

What do you think the climate is for your current industry? Where is it headed?
It’s growing by leaps and bounds. Industrial places are really booming in our area right now. We have new distribution centers being built all over. It doesn’t mean that our forklifts are going in there, but it’s economical growth for the industry.

What types of jobs have you had in the past?
Building construction, automotive technician, factory work, tree farming, masonry

Tell me a little bit about your life outside of work…
I come home to a beautiful fiancé, I tinker with stuff in the garage, I relax, watch TV. Also, I come from a big family- four sisters and two brothers.

What are your hobbies outside of work?
When I had a four-wheeler, it was going four-wheeling. Also, working on the house, making home improvements. I would love to restore another Chevelle.