It will be a tough go in North America the next few years. Big customers are demanding "fixed maintenance" contracts that force tech's to change their habits. We are fixing trucks for a set rate, and have to cover extra costs like avoidable repairs up to $1000!!!! I dont know how my employer can sign these tight contracts, but if they didn't, 3 other lift truck companies would take the work and we'd be out of a job!
There is still lots of Jobs here in Ottawa Canada for qualified techs. The pay is very good at $30 plus vehicle and benefits and commision on truck sales rebuilds. We still have disgruntled tech's who dont pull their weight and want more. Some think they are good that no one can replace them. They usually quit and we find other people that DO the job better for less money! The damage these guys have done by gouging the customer has brought in tighter rules from customers. Billing 8 hrs for 3 hrs actual work has spawned these CFPM or Fixed maintenance deals to become the rule now. It's like auto mechanices getting paid flat rate. Spend all day on a customer's car but we pay you 4 hrs for the job. I think that is where Lift truck tech's will be going too.
try working at a wall mart distribution centre now....thay pay.8 hr to do complete maint on reach trucks. If the drive unit goes....get to it cause they have a fixed amount to give each month. The lift truck company eats the loss! The tech must learn to work smarter and fix instead of replace each time. What do you think this will do to our wages? Put a "parts replacer" in a Fixed maintenance warehouse and see how fast the lift Company yanks him out! If you still have paying customers then hang on to them and dont screw them! Customers with "carte blanche" are getting rare. I love this job. But I used to hate the treatment i got as an auto tech. They are treated as people who could not be paid an hourly wage. Dealerships will tell you Auto techs must be paid flat rate as they cant be trusted to work without some incentive or "carrot dangled in front of them" as Dealership Managers would always tell you.
I hope the fork lift industry doesn't go that way too.......