US dataswitch to UK
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
installing protective devices, such as bracing, padding or strapping, depositing recoverable materials into chutes or placing materials on conveyor belts, cleaning materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements and recording numbers of units. If that's your week, this page is about your job.
The honest answer
AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers is work software can't reach.
What shifts is the routine end of the work. This page scores what today's tools actually do, not headlines.
Your week, as this page understands it
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor. Includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified. The job title says “laborers”, “freight”, “stock”, “material movers” or “hand”: officially one job, several names. The real job is the part underneath: moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers. That is the thing someone has to be right about.
The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand is not one task. It is 27 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers, and the ledger below shows exactly why.
Where the work sits, by task weight
- shifting to AI
- 0%
- changing shape
- 0%
- staying human
- 100%
These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.
Whole-job exposure score 4 out of 100 (3–9 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 27 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.
How we know this
What is measured: Every published task statement for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.
How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.
Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.
Your job, task by task
These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.
- 1 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
Shifting to AI
0 tasksTasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.
Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.
Changing shape
0 tasksTasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.
Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.
Staying human
27 tasksTasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.
Moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers
This work happens in the physical world: freight, stock or other materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Moving freight and stock around a site is physical lifting and driving.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Operating forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts or front-end loaders to load bales
This work happens in the physical world: forklifts, pallet jacks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Driving forklifts and loaders to load heavy bales needs someone at the controls.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Reading work orders or receiving oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs
This work happens in the physical world: work orders, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 32 out of 100 (25–39 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reading a work order and turning it into a job plan is information work, though spoken instructions come from people on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Cleaning recycling yard
This work happens in the physical world: yard, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sweeping, raking and clearing a recycling yard is manual cleaning.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Maintaining equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory
This work happens in the physical world: equipment storage areas, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping equipment storage areas in good order means being there to arrange and protect the stock.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sorting materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Separating metal, glass, paper and plastic into the right containers is hands-on sorting.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sorting metals to separate high-grade metals
This work happens in the physical world: metals, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Picking copper, brass and aluminum out of mixed metal is judged by handling the material.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Operating balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales
This work happens in the physical world: balers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running a baler to compress recycling means operating the machine on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Cleaning, inspecting
This work happens in the physical world: lubricate recyclable collection equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · CoreSource: “Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning, oiling and repairing sorting machinery means hands on the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Depositing recoverable materials into chutes or placing materials on conveyor belts
This work happens in the physical world: recoverable materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Tipping recoverable material into chutes or onto belts is manual handling.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Show the other 17 tasks
Recording numbers of units
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: numbers of units, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Record numbers of units handled or moved, using daily production sheets or work tickets.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Counting sheets and work tickets are simple records that scanning systems already capture.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recording logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: logs of recycled materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 33 out of 100 (26–40 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Writing up logs of recycled material and removed chemicals is record work built from figures collected on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Attaching identifying tags to containers or marking them with identifying information
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: tags, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sticking or writing labels on actual containers is hands-on work at the goods.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sorting cargo before loading and unloading
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: cargo, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Sort cargo before loading and unloading.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sorting cargo before it is loaded means handling the goods themselves.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Assembling product containers or crates
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: product containers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · SupplementalSource: “Assemble product containers or crates, using hand tools and precut lumber.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Building crates from cut lumber with hand tools is workshop work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Packing containers and re-pack damaged containers
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: containers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · SupplementalSource: “Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Packing and repacking containers means handling the goods by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Carrying needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and returning them
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: needed tools, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fetching and returning tools and supplies is physical carrying.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing protective devices, such as bracing, padding or strapping
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: protective devices, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · SupplementalSource: “Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting bracing, padding or strapping so a load cannot shift is hands-on work on the load.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Attaching slings, hooks or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: slings, hooks or other devices, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Attach slings, hooks, or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Attaching slings and hooks and guiding a lifted load is physical work beside the crane.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Adjusting controls to guide, position or move equipment, such as cranes, booms or cameras
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: controls, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · SupplementalSource: “Adjust controls to guide, position, or move equipment, such as cranes, booms, or cameras.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working the controls of a crane or boom means sitting at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Connecting electrical equipment to power sources so that it
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: electrical equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · SupplementalSource: “Connect electrical equipment to power sources so that it can be tested before use.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Plugging equipment into power so it can be tested is a hands-on step at the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Extracting chemicals from discarded appliances
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: chemicals, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Recovering refrigerant from old appliances means operating specialist equipment on the machine itself.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Collecting recyclable materials from curbside for delivery to designated facilities
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: recyclable materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Collect recyclable materials from curbside for delivery to designated facilities.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Collecting recycling from the curbside is physical collection work on a round.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Operating automated refuse or manual recycling collection vehicles
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: automated refuse, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Operate automated refuse or manual recycling collection vehicles.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Driving a refuse or recycling collection vehicle needs a person in the cab.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Operating processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush or grind recyclable materials
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running sorters, crushers and grinders means being at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Cleaning materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning metals and other materials to recycling standards is physical work on the material.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Collecting and sorting recyclable construction materials
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: recyclable construction materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · SupplementalSource: “Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Gathering and sorting concrete, drywall, plastic and wood on a site is physical collection.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
What this job pays, and how many people do it
- Median pay
- $40,240a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this
Source: bls-oews
Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
Rounding: Shown as published.
- People doing this job
- 2,950,280in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.
Why this is shifting
The reason is boringly specific. Almost none of this job is reading one thing and writing another (the shape today's tools are built for), because the work turns on freight, stock or other materials, which happens with people and things rather than on a screen. The rows above are the evidence rather than the reassurance: moving freight and operating forklifts, pallet jacks. The parts that are changing are the paperwork and the tools around the job, not the middle of it, which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.
Your move
Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend
Start with what does not change: moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.
So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 0% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 100% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 27 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.
So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. The routine end of the work is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.
This week: one thing
Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to the routine work, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.
- What you end up holding
- a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
- How long it takes
- ten minutes
If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether freight, stock or other materials are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.
Over the next 90 days
Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.
Over the next 12 months
On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.
The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them
I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.
I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was packers and packagers, hand: only about 7% of its durable work is work you already do and there are far fewer of those jobs than of yours. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 4/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.
How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.
3 moves I checked and rejected
These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information, and their equivalent is to mark and label containers, container tags, or products, using marking tools. Across both published task lists that is about 7% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 7% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 559,820 of those jobs against 2,950,280 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 19% as many seats.
Helpers--Production Workers
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information, and their equivalent is to mark or tag identification on parts. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 165,700 of those jobs against 2,950,280 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 6% as many seats.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already operate automated refuse or manual recycling collection vehicles, and their equivalent is to operate equipment that compresses collected refuse. Across both published task lists that is about 3% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 3% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 147,240 of those jobs against 2,950,280 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 5% as many seats.
What I’d stop worrying about
A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.
The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 27 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like moving freight, stock or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships or containers arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.
You are reading the United States figures
The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Warehouse operatives is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.
Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match
The other groups this work is counted across:
In UK official statistics this job is counted as Warehouse operatives, Elementary storage occupations n.e.c., Delivery operatives, Elementary storage supervisors, Air transport operatives, Elementary process plant occupations n.e.c. and Industrial cleaning process occupations. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.
Your route through this
Where to go next, and what it costs
Free, and complete
The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Find local training
Search what's running near you, from the Labor Department's own database, before anyone sells you a course.
Free to search; individual programs vary, and some are funded
Anywhere in the US:
An American Job Center will sit down with you for free. Find yours by ZIP code.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Licensed occupations finder
Check what your state actually requires before you pay for anything.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
Free
Why there is no community here
Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.
So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.
Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for laborers / freight / stock / material movers / hand launches. Nothing else.
That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.
We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.
No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.
Questions people ask about this job
- Will AI replace Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?
- Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 27 official task statements scored for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (United States, SOC 53-7062), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 4 out of 100 (range 3–9, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
- Which tasks in “Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand” can AI already do?
- The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Record numbers of units handled or moved, using daily production sheets or work tickets” (38/100, low); “Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products” (33/100, low); “Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs” (32/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
- Which tasks in “Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand” stay human?
- About 100% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, fing…” (0/100, minimal); “Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers” (0/100, minimal); “Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
- What should someone working in “Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand” do about AI?
- Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 100% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
- How is the AI exposure score for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand calculated?
- Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 27 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.
Where these numbers come from
Worth knowing about these figures
- The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
- 1 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
- Task statements
- onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
- Task weights
- onet-db (im-rt)
- Scores
- Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-04.
- Pay and employment
- bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))
Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.
The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.
The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.
Using these figures?
Cite this
Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.
Plain text
Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).
BibTeX
@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
title = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
author = {{Collab365}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
note = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published . Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.