How to become a Freight Handler
Official title: Freight Handler (Rail or Road)
Also called: Freight Loader
Loads and unloads freight trucks, containers and rail cars.
Main tasks
- Determines the appropriate method and equipment for loading and unloading freight
- Communicates with drivers, warehouse staff and other personnel to coordinate loading and unloading activities
- Operates equipment to move freight onto and off trucks, containers and rail cars
- Secures freight using straps, chains and other restraints to prevent shifting during transportation
- Checks and verifies freight against transportation documents
- Sorts and organises freight in designated areas for efficient storage and retrieval
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Road Transport Terminal Operations (TLI20221)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $85,904 a year
- About 14,700 people work in this job group now, and about 15,000 are projected by 2035. (+1.5%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Freight Handler?
Ways in include: Certificate II in Road Transport Terminal Operations.
How much does a Freight Handler earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $85,904 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Freight Handler a growing career in Australia?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 14,700 people now and 15,000 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Freight Handler?
Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate II in Road Transport Terminal Operations.
Will AI change the work of a Freight Handler?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04