Forklift operator: indispensable, underrated and almost exclusively male

May 8 is forklift operator day. In Belgium, more than 23,000 people work as forklift operators. This makes it one of the seventy most common professions in the country. Every product you buy once passed the forks of a forklift driver. Yet the profession has been on the list of bottleneck occupations for many years and is almost exclusively a male domain.

23,000 directors, distinct profile

Statbel sample surveys show that the number of forklift operators in Belgium has been fairly stable for more than a decade. In 2025, there were just over 23,000, more than three-quarters of them employed in Flanders. The profession is aging: by 2025, some 70% of forklift operators will be 40 years old or older, compared to 59% in 2016. This means a substantial outflow due to retirement in the coming years, which, moreover, will not be sufficiently absorbed by younger inflows.

What is also striking is the ratio of men to women. Of more than 23,000 forklift operators, only 4.6 percent are female. This puts that gap among the 

Growing interest in logistics, labor market tightness remains

The gender gap is also visible in education. The number of students in logistics disciplines in Flemish secondary education, such as Logistics, Warehouse Assistant Dual and Driver of Internal Transport Equipment Dual, quadrupled in ten years: from 289 students in ‘16-‘17 to over 1,100 at the start of the current school year. Only a fraction of these are female.

The rising interest in logistics directions is a positive sign for the sector. Although this may not immediately solve the shortage on the labor market. Since the beginning of this year, a slight increase has again been noticeable in the number of vacancies for forklift truck drivers with the VDAB. A number that peaked during the corona period but today is four to five times higher than in the period before corona. A report by the VDAB shows that the cause is not so much due to a lack of available job seekers as to the image and working conditions of the profession.

An indispensable job that is no longer what it was

Forklift operators are the silent engine of the logistics chain. Without them, supply in warehouses, distribution centers, ports and factories grinds to a halt. The profession requires spatial awareness, knowledge of safety regulations and the ability to work quickly and accurately in tight spaces.

The Day of the Forklift Driver is an initiative of B-CLOSE, Belgium's largest independent company in the distribution and maintenance of A-brand forklifts. Since 2019, the company has been highlighting this profession every year. “Forklift drivers are indispensable”, says Eric Maertens, CEO of B-CLOSE. "Without them, nothing moves in warehouses, ports or factories. The job is also more modern than many people think: sensors, ergonomic cabins and electric drive have made the work safer and more enjoyable. The image still lags behind reality, and that's what we want to do something about with the Day of the Forklift Driver.“