Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.0). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international 3 occupations below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 21 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Install protective devices, such as bracing, padding, or strapping, to prevent shifting or damage to items being transported. Supplemental · importance 4.5
• Maintain equipment storage areas to ensure that inventory is protected. Supplemental · importance 4.5
• Sort cargo before loading and unloading. Core · importance 4.3
• Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information. Core · importance 4.1
• Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs. Core · importance 4.1
• 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. Core · importance 4.0
• Record numbers of units handled or moved, using daily production sheets or work tickets. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Attach slings, hooks, or other devices to lift cargo and guide loads. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Carry needed tools or supplies from storage or trucks and return them after use. Supplemental · importance 3.6
• Pack containers and re-pack damaged containers. Supplemental · importance 3.3
• Adjust controls to guide, position, or move equipment, such as cranes, booms, or cameras. Supplemental · importance 3.1
• Connect electrical equipment to power sources so that it can be tested before use. Supplemental · importance 2.9
• Adjust or replace equipment parts, such as rollers, belts, plugs, or caps, using hand tools. Supplemental
• Bundle and band material such as fodder or tobacco leaves, using banding machines. Supplemental
• Carry out general yard duties, such as performing shunting on railway lines. Supplemental
• Direct spouts and position receptacles, such as bins, carts, or containers, so they can be loaded. Supplemental
• Guide loads being lifted to prevent swinging. Supplemental
• Rig or dismantle props or equipment, such as frames, scaffolding, platforms, or backdrops, using hand tools. Supplemental
• Shovel material, such as gravel, ice, or spilled concrete, into containers or bins or onto conveyors. Supplemental
• Stack cargo in locations, such as transit sheds or in holds of ships as directed, using pallets or cargo boards. Supplemental
• Wash out cargo containers or storage areas. Supplemental

Emerging tasks

Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.

• Inspect products for damage or leaks.

Work activities

• Mark materials or objects for identification.
• Review work orders or schedules to determine operations or procedures.
• Receive information or instructions for performing work assignments.
• Record operational or production data.
• Move materials, equipment, or supplies.
• Sort materials or objects for processing or transport.
• Assemble wood products.
• Package materials or products.
• Secure cargo.
• Monitor cargo area conditions.
• Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
• Connect cables or electrical lines.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Abilities

Knowledge

Transferable skills

Essential skills

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• Mathematics Common Skill
• Microsoft Word Common Skill
• Microsoft Outlook Common Skill
• Microsoft Excel Common Skill
• Microsoft Edge Specialized Skill
• Google Docs Specialized Skill
• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• English Language Common Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Finger Dexterity Common Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Depth Perception Common Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Social Perceptiveness Common Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Instructing Specialized Skill
• Learning Strategies Specialized Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Negotiation Common Skill
• Microsoft Publisher Specialized Skill
• IBM Notes Specialized Skill
• FaceTime Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• Equipment Maintenance Specialized Skill
• Physics Specialized Skill
• Equipment Selection Specialized Skill
• Psychology Specialized Skill
• Chemistry Specialized Skill
• Geography Specialized Skill
• Foreign Language Common Skill
• Telecommunications Specialized Skill
• Biology Specialized Skill
• Installation Specialized Skill
• Industrial Control Software Specialized Skill

Tools & technology

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Typical entry-level education

No formal educational credential · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Preparation level

SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Interest areas

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Supply Chain & Transportation career cluster.

• Machine Feeders and Offbearers · 53-7063.00 Compare →
• Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators · 53-7051.00 Compare →
• Packers and Packagers, Hand · 53-7064.00 Compare →
• Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders · 53-7121.00 Compare →
• Conveyor Operators and Tenders · 53-7011.00 Compare →
• Hoist and Winch Operators · 53-7041.00 Compare →
• Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders · 51-9111.00 Compare →
• Helpers--Production Workers · 51-9198.00 Compare →
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery · 49-9043.00 Compare →
• Recycling and Reclamation Workers · 53-7062.04 Compare →
• Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · 51-9021.00 Compare →
• Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping · 43-5111.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
• AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
• ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
• IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
• Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
• Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-53-7062-00,
  title  = {Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-53-7062-00}
}