Obtaining Forklift Certification in Indiana

Completing a forklift certification can boost your chance of getting a job in Indiana. Employers obviously want certified operators than those untrained. Having a certification makes you more attractive in the eyes of employers. Taking such training can also open the door of opportunities for a stable career and future promotions.

It is your competitive edge over other candidates.  Completing a training shows you that you are pro-active and you care about the welfare of yourself and the company. It also shows you that you have what it takes to do the job. All of these make you an attractive applicant for the employer. 

But what if you are not yet certified, where do you start? If you do not know where to begin in order to get your certification, here’s the basic instruction you must know:

Ways to Get Forklift Certification 

OSHA states that no individual shall operate any kind of forklift truck without having proper certification. OSHA doesn’t issue license but rather issue guidelines for certification of operators.

The certification can be given to workers by their employers. The company-provided training must adhere to OSHA standards and must effectively deliver by an approved trainer. The training course should meet the OSHA standards or exceeds it. The trainer must document the training course and maintain a record for the future reference to be given to OSHA inspector if the employer will be inspected.

it is the responsibility of the employer to provide the forklift training, workers can be sent to school to take the training in a facility rented by their company. 

An individual planning to enter this career can take forklift course in the training school, the schools in Indiana are listed below for you to check with. The course will comprise of formal education and hands-on forklift operation, and a sort of evaluation will be administered to measure the knowledge of the student through examination. The student must pass the test and be evaluated satisfactorily by the trainer before he can be certified. If you failed one of the tests, you can retake. READ this: How to retake the forklift tests.

Upon completion, successful trainees will be given a certificate of training and certification card. It is valid for three years.

You can browse this topic when you need to renew it: How to Renew Forklift Certification?

Here are some more related topics and answers to common questions you can READ:

• How to Become Certified Driving Forklifts?
• Where Can You Go To Get Trained and Certified?
• How Much Will It Cost Your To Get Trained?
• How to Pass The Forklift Practice Test?
• Passing the Written Examination
• Duration or Length of the Forklift Training
• Is Taking Online Training Suits You?

 Forklift Operator Qualifications  

• If you want to be an operator, you need to be in good physical conditioning. You need to follow instructions and make basic inventory or recordings.
• Employers may require candidates to have a high school diploma or GED certificate to prove their education. 
• If you know basic math and can speak English well, then these could be your advantage. 
• An operator must have good physical conditioning. The job may require you to work long hours, night or day.
• An operator must take a forklift training before getting accepted for a job. Therefore, you can enroll at the school to learn the skills and become experience driving the truck. Getting certified is the important requirements that the employer looks for when hiring job applicants.
• If you have previous experience doing the same thing, it could be your great advantage when applying for a job. 
• The minimum age to get accepted to a job is 16 (in the non-hazardous environment) and 18 if the operator is to be assigned to ports, warehouses, and in places where risks are more prevalent.

Forklift Training Schools in Indiana 

Before you get on the phone to make an inquiry, here is a topic that can help you choose the school to get training from: How to Choose the Best Forklift Training School?

• Hull Lift Truck Inc. - 2530 Charleston Pl, Fort Wayne, 888- 284-0364
• Safety Partners Ltd. - 1418 119th St., 877-723-3021
• Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. - Columbus, Indiana, 1.800.381.5879
• Morrison Industrial Equipment Co. - 2505 North Foundation Dr, South Bend, IN, 574-287-4290
• KMH Systems - Logansport, 2741 South US 35, 888-277-5647
• Tynan Equipment Company - (317) 597-4003, 5926 Stockberger Place Indianapolis, IN 46241
• ProLift Toyota Material Handling - 5500 Foundation Blvd, Evansville, (812) 867-0186
• Wiese - 3413 Rascal Drive, Lafayette, IN, Main Number: (765) 471-8700
• Bohl Co. - 1930 Lakeview Drive, Fort Wayne, (800) 624-6860
• Crown Lift Trucks - 9110 Avionics Drive, Ft. Wayne, Fax: 260-483-8542
• Vincennes University VULTEC - 853 S. Columbia Rd., Ste. 151 Plainfield, (317) 381-6099
• Forklift Training Systems - 614 583 5749
• Hoosier Occupational Training Services - 3750 N. Meridian St. Suite 310, Indianapolis, +1 (317) 500-4793, +1 (317) 653-5822
• Indiana Chamber Conference Center - 115 W Washington St, Suite 850S, Indianapolis, Phone:(317) 264-3110
• MACALLISTER RENTALS - 6870 West Washington St, Indianapolis, (317) 244-7368, (877) 700-1945
• Safety Training Services, Inc. - 8516 Henry Street, Highland, Lake, (877) 724-2744
• QuickLifts, LLC - 5054 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, Phone: (317) 273-1884, Fax: (317) 273-0455
• IUOE Local 103 Apprenticeship and Training - 4277 E. County Rd. 67, Anderson, Phone: (765) 378-0013

Please be reminded that training schools can arrange the training course at the company’s facilities if insisted. This is ideal because the trainer can provide a training program that complements with the workplace condition and workers' behavior.

The disadvantage of sending away employers’ operators to training school’s facility is that it can make production to halt.

How Much Does a Certified Forklift Operator Make

In Indiana, a qualified forklift operator can receive an annual wage of $39,686. This is just an average. The employer can offer more depending on the skills, competency, experience and attitude of the operator. In Ohio, operator salary is almost the same as Indiana's. 

As of February 27, 2023, according to the newest Salary.com's report, here are the cities and towns of Indiana with high paying wages for operators:

Here's a detailed salary matrix of operators in every state: How Much Forklift Operator Makes (by city and state)

A new forklift operator obviously cannot demand higher wage due to obvious reason of lack of experience, he can gain skills and experience from work and later demand a better pay. He can also advance his career by taking more advanced training. 

Browse these topics that could you help you flourish your career:

• Can You Use Your Forklift Certification to Work in Other Company?
• Can You Get Employed in Other State Using Your Current Certificate?
• Can You Work in Other Country Using Your Current License?

Governing Offices:

In case you have clarifications regarding health and safety and wage-related matters, you can visit these authorities to make an inquiry.

OSHA Area Office
Indianapolis Area Office
46 East Ohio Street, Room 453
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 226-7290
(317) 226-7292 FAX

Department of Labor
Indiana Government Center South
402 W. Washington Street
Room W195
Indianapolis, IN 46204
http://www.in.gov/dol
(317) 232-2655
(317) 974-2001

Other Cities and Towns of IN

Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Carmel, Fishers, Bloomington, Lafayette, Muncie, Terre Haute, Kokomo, Noblesville, Anderson, Greenwood, Elkhart, Mishawaka, Lawrence, Jeffersonville, Portage, New Albany, Richmond, Westfield, Valparaiso, Goshen, Michigan City, West Lafayette, Marion, East Chicago, Hobart, Crown Point, Franklin, La Porte, Greenfield, Shelbyville, Seymour, Vincennes, Logansport, New Castle, Huntington, Frankfort, Crawfordsville, Lebanon, New Haven, Jasper, Beech Grove, Warsaw, Bedford, Connersville, Auburn, Lake Station, Madison, Washington, Martinsville, Greensburg, Peru, Wabash, Greencastle, Plymouth, Bluffton, Kendallville, Decatur, Columbia City, Angola, Princeton, Elwood, Brazil, Charlestown, Tell City, Scottsburg