St John’s College (Hillcrest)
Storeperson Tangata Whakaputu
Storepeople receive, check, store and send out goods from a warehouse, business or organisation.
Storepeople may do some or all of the following:
- receive and unpack incoming goods
- make and take orders for goods
- assemble and pack outgoing orders, and send them out
- check the quantity and quality of goods coming in, and going out
- create and check invoices and keep records up to date
- keep track of stock
- drive a forklift or use a pallet jack to unload or move goods.
Physical Requirements
Storepeople need to be reasonably fit and strong, as much of their work involves lifting and standing for long periods.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for storepeople includes:
- retail work
- work as a courier
- truck or forklift driving
- devanning (unloading shipping containers)
- taking inventories (checking how much stock is held in a warehouse).
For those wanting to get into management roles, any supervisory or management experience is useful.
Personal Qualities
Storepeople need to be:
- accurate, with an eye for detail
- honest and reliable
- able to work well in a team.
Skills
Storepeople need to have knowledge of:
- the type of goods they are handling
- stock control and storeroom/warehouse procedures
- health and safety regulations and procedures to minimise any potential hazards
- how to operate machinery such as forklifts or pallet jacks
- how to manage staff if in a management or supervisory role.
Conditions
Storepeople:
- may work regular business hours, but usually do shift work, which can include irregular hours or nights
- may work overtime during busy periods
- generally work in warehouses, storerooms, and large open spaces
- work in a variety of conditions, depending on the type of goods involved.
Subject Recommendations
There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a storeperson. However, English and maths are useful.
Storepersons can earn around $23-$30 per hour.
Pay for storepeople depends on their employer, experience and responsibilities.
- Storepeople usually earn minimum wage to $25 an hour.
- Warehouse managers/distribution supervisors can earn up to $30 an hour.
Sources: careers.govt.nz research and Superior Personnel, 2018.
Storepeople may progress to become supervisors, or store/warehouse managers.
Storepeople may also specialise as a:
- Contract Warehousing Worker/Manager
- Contract warehouse workers/managers work in warehouses that provide space for companies without their own warehouses. This means they may deal with a wide variety of products and many freight companies.
- Inventory Control Manager
- Inventory control managers work in warehouses and keep track of goods on hand and ensure the warehouse has adequate stock at all times.
Years Of Training
There are no specific requirements to become a storeperson. However, a New Zealand Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health (Workplace Safety) may be useful.
If the job involves using a forklift, you may need a Class 1 driver's licence with an F endorsement.
If the job involves transporting hazardous items, you may also need a dangerous goods (D) endorsement.
- New Zealand Transport Agency website - information on getting an F endorsement for driving forklifts
- New Zealand Transport Agency website - information on getting a D endorsement for transporting hazardous items
Entry requirements for warehouse managers
Warehouse managers need to have previous experience in a warehouse. A New Zealand Certificate in Distribution at Levels 2, 3 or 4 may also be useful.
More advanced qualifications in logistics and transport management are also available.
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