-I- will still be in this industry 5 years from now, I have seen the "boom and busts" in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and now the 00s, and while none were fun, nor was any of them a spot in which forklift techs suddenly became as wealthy as doctors, it is one of the advantages of being underpaid (in relation to the investment you make to be in this industry), that in bad times, even fewer people are willing to invest the money in tools and the time in learning to become the type of tech people are willing to pay to have around. it will not be likely that someone used to using a forklift to move pallets of material will be willing to pay a person to move the same weight by breaking down the load and carrying it on their shoulders, and the demand for food is not likley to stop any time soon.
In this corner of this industry (forklift service techs) we don't get wealthy in the upturn, but we don't fall as far in the downturn either... (in part because there is not so far to fall until you hit bottom)
You may not get to buy that bigger boat you had your eyes on, but until you decide to sell your tools, you will still be able to feed and provide shelter to your family.