Warehouse & Supply Chain Operative

Receive, store, pick and dispatch the goods that keep shops, sites and factories supplied.

Strong demand Level 2 apprenticeship

Typical pay once qualified: £24,000 – £33,000
Training length: 1 year
Apprenticeship standard: Supply chain warehouse operative
Where to train: 52 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG 3832 · 4 stops · 1 year to qualify

Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
1 year Fully qualified around £24k
+3–5 years Experienced up to £33k
Then Forklift, reach truck and VNA licences next step

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Warehousing is the backbone of retail and manufacturing, and modern distribution centres are highly systemised operations running on scanners, WMS software and tight service levels.

The apprenticeship is short and leads quickly into forklift tickets, team leadership and transport roles. Shift premiums for nights and weekends can add a lot to pay, and progression into supervision is fast for reliable people.

A typical day

Receive, check and put away incoming stock
Pick, pack and dispatch orders accurately to deadlines
Operate warehouse equipment and scanners safely
Maintain stock accuracy and carry out counts
Follow health and safety and manual handling procedures

How you get in

No formal qualifications required
Reliability and pace matter more than exam results
Shift work, including nights, is common
Forklift training is usually provided once you are 18

Where it leads

Forklift, reach truck and VNA licences
Team leader or shift supervisor
Stock control, transport planning or inventory roles
Supply chain practitioner (level 3) and logistics management

Where to train for this

52 colleges and training providers on our list cover Warehouse & Supply Chain Operative training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 2